Choosing a Doctor
France has a national health service which ensures medical care for all in case of illness or emergency. However, there are certain conditions to meet in order to qualify for free healthcare. Since the 2004 health reforms, every citizen has to appoint a regular doctor whom they will visit when ill, typically a general practitioner, in order to benefit from full health insurance cover. This doctor may be independent, sharing a practice with others, or working in a hospital.
Independent doctors
Independent doctors practice in private surgeries. As a general rule, several doctors will share a surgery but see their own patients. The main advantage of this kind of practice is that you can see another doctor without having to pay extra fees, and are usually offered an appointment with another doctor when your regular practitioner is absent. You can find the contact details of independent doctors in the yellow pages or on the Internet.
Hospital doctors
You may wish to visit a private clinic or hospital doctor. Generally, patients go to hospital to see specialists and undergo specific tests rather than to see their general practitioner. The difference between hospitals and private clinics is that hospitals are public and funded by the state, whereas private clinics are essentially private hospitals. The doctors working in hospitals are civil servants, whilst doctors working in private hospitals are independent.
Family planning
Family planning centres are typically support clinics for people who are anxious or in need of tests related to sexual health. These centres generally handle queries related to issues such as contraception or sexually transmitted diseases. However, the doctors who practice at these clinics will usually have a much wider range of skills, and can offer medical advice on many subjects. Consultations with family planning doctors are free of charge for those without health insurance.
Company / School doctor
Company doctors are responsible for the well-being of a company's employees. Generally, company doctors have two tasks: they run a surgery where they see patients, and they visit companies to check the health of their staff and monitor working conditions. Normally, every employee will have a medical examination when they are hired, and every two years thereafter.
School doctors operate in the education system: their main objective is to detect health problems, such as dyslexia, visual and auditory deficiencies, stunted growth or weight problems, as well as possible cases of abuse. School doctors are responsible for pupils at several schools in one area, visiting each school on a weekly basis. Usually, they will spend only half a day at each school.
Visiting a Doctor
You choose your regular doctor by filling out a form: Cerfa N 12485*01, also known as the "declaration of the choice of a regular doctor". This certificate must be signed by your doctor to be valid. If you do not fill out this form and agree to name a regular doctor, you will usually face higher healthcare charges.
However, there are certain exceptions which allow you to avoid penalties if you do not consult your regular doctor first. If your regular doctor is absent, you can consult their replacement or another doctor from the same practice. You can also consult any other doctor in case of emergency: the urgency of your situation will be assessed by the doctor who sees you. Finally, there are certain specialists you can consult without having to see your regular doctor first: these include dentists, ophthalmologists and gynaecologists, as well as psychiatrists for patients under twenty-six.
