The Department of Research, Studies and Statistics (DREES) conducted a survey of 40,000 people on waiting times for access to care. If it takes 1 to 6 days to get an appointment to a general practitioner, this period increases considerably as soon as one wants to consult a specialist. It’s in ophthalmology(80 days), dermatology (61 days), cardiology (50 days), gynecology (50 days) and rheumatology (45 days) that the average delays are the most important according to the study of the Drees.
“These averages, however, mask important differences” underlines the Drees. At the ophthalmologist, for example, a quarter of meeting requests are completed within 20 days, and a quarter more than 110 days later. The waiting period even exceeds 189 days in 10% of cases. The most marked disparities concern waiting times at the radiologist, which vary from 4 to 27 days, with 10% of appointments obtained after 48 days.
Waiting times are also longer in municipalities where geographic accessibility to health professionals is poor, particularly in rural municipalities or on the outskirts of large cities.
Doctors take symptoms into account
“However, regardless of the professional concerned, waiting times are shorter when the request for an appointment follows the onset or worsening of symptoms” insists the Drees. This is particularly the case with the general practitioner where half of the contacts lead to an appointment during the day when the patient calls for specific symptoms. Same at the dentist where the median delay is 8 days in the event of onset or worsening of symptoms versus 24 days if the request for an appointment is motivated by another reason.
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