Making an appointment with an independent healthcare professional

How do I find a general practitioner or specialist?

When seeking medical advice, it is always best to make an appointment. You can find general and specialist practitioners in the French social security directory or by asking at your local pharmacy. Ask the pharmacist for a list of three or four doctors in the neighbourhood. You can also use the website doctolib.fr to find and make appointments with a doctor online.

The first time you make an appointment with a general practitioner (GP), you should formally register them as your médecin traitant with the social security services. You must see the same médécin traitant every time you seek medical advice in order to receive the maximum reimbursement of your appointment costs. This is called the parcours de soins coordonnés.

The standard rate for an appointment with a general practitioner in France is 25€. Specialist doctors, dentists, psychologists, gynecologists etc. charge more and you will receive a better rate of reimbursement if you are referred to them by your chosen médécin traitant, following the parcours de soins coordonnés. Examples of standard appointment costs are €30 for a gynecologist, €46.70 for a psychiatrist and €51 for a cardiologist, though these prices may vary if you do not seek a referral.

Where can I buy medication?

Some standard medication can be purchased without a prescription at your local pharmacy, though this will not be reimbursed by the social security system. All prescription medication is eligible for at least a partial reimbursement, providing you are successfully registered with the social security system.