Healthcare Access in France: New Study on Medical Appointment Wait Times
A comprehensive study by the Fondation Jean-Jaurès reveals deep territorial inequalities in healthcare access across France, utilizing data from 234 million appointments in 2025. While general practitioners show a median wait time of three days, specialist access varies wildly, with cardiologists seeing a national median wait of 42 days and some regions facing delays exceeding 90 days.
How long are patients waiting for care in France?
The report, titled “Cartes de France 2026 de l’accès aux soins / Soignants et patients face aux inégalités territoriales,” analyzed data from 80,000 health professionals via Doctolib. Geographer Joy Raynaud led the analysis, which was supplemented by a survey of over 8,000 patients to compare actual data with lived experiences.
Wait times for “first-recourse” professions remain relatively low. General practitioners average three days, followed by physiotherapists at six days, pediatricians at eight, dentists at 10, and midwives at 12.
Specialist care tells a different story. Median delays exceed two weeks for psychiatrists (15 days), gynecologists (19 days), and ophthalmologists (21 days). The longest waits are found in dermatology (31 days) and cardiology (42 days).
Which regions face the most severe healthcare gaps?
The Aude department highlights extreme disparities in care. While pediatricians in Aude are among the most accessible in France—with waits between one and seven days—cardiology is in crisis. Aude is one of only five departments where median wait times for cardiologists exceed 90 days.
Other Aude-specific findings show gynecological waits between 31 and 45 days. Conversely, ophthalmology delays in the region have dropped by 22 days, though they still range between 31 and 60 days.
For general practitioners in Aude, waits fall between six and seven days. This puts the department among 17 others in that bracket, though it is one of 45 departments where the wait time has actually increased.
Why are these statistics potentially underestimated?
The study acknowledges several structural biases. Because the data relies solely on Doctolib, it does not capture patients who cannot find an appointment, those who give up on seeking care, or those using hospitals and health centers.
The most severe “medical deserts” are likely under-represented. The foundation notes that territories with fewer doctors generate less data in the system, meaning the reported delays could actually be shorter than the reality experienced by patients in the most underserved areas.
What could happen next for French healthcare access?
Based on the identified gaps, policymakers may look to address the specific shortage of cardiologists and gynecologists in departments like Aude. There is a possibility that future diagnostics will seek to incorporate non-digital booking data to better capture the “invisible” patients in medical deserts.
The disparity in “rapid response” care—where 39% of general practitioner appointments are secured within 48 hours compared to only 8% for cardiologists—could lead to new strategies for managing non-programmed specialist requests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which medical specialties have the longest national wait times?
According to the study, cardiologists (42 days) and dermatologists (31 days) have the longest median wait times nationally.
How was the data for this study collected?
The study used anonymized data from 80,000 health professionals for 234 million appointments booked via Doctolib in 2025, alongside a survey of 8,000 patients.
Why is the Aude department mentioned specifically?
Aude serves as a case study for territorial inequality, ranking among the five worst departments for cardiology waits (over 90 days) while remaining highly efficient in pediatric care (1-7 days).
How do appointment wait times in your own community compare to these national averages?