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Access to healthcare: the care pathway
In France, the solution depends on how urgent your health problem is. You can see a doctor, go to the hospital or go to a pharmacy.
Key points of the sheet
- For a common health problem, people usually see a family doctor (médecin traitant) first. This is the patient's main general practitioner.
- This is the coordinated care pathway (parcours de soins coordonnés). The family doctor then sends the patient to other health professionals if needed, in particular specialists.
- In a serious situation, such as an accident, people go to the hospital, as an emergency or with an appointment. Many specialists see their patients in a hospital.
- At a pharmacy, you buy medicines and other health products. With the doctor's prescription, the pharmacist gives you the treatments and advice.
Words to know
- family doctor (médecin traitant)
- It is the patient's main general practitioner.
- coordinated care pathway (parcours de soins coordonnés)
- It means seeing your family doctor first, who then sends you to other professionals if needed.
- specialist doctors (médecins spécialistes)
- Examples are the cardiologist or the dermatologist. Many see their patients in a hospital.
- pharmacy (pharmacie)
- It is a medical place where you collect and buy medicines and other health products.
- medical prescription (prescription médicale)
- You take it to the pharmacy after the consultation. The pharmacist then gives you the prescribed treatments.
Test yourself: 3 questions
In case of a serious accident, where do you go?
In French, the language of the exam: En cas d'accident grave, où allez-vous ?
In a serious situation, such as an accident, people go to the hospital.
What is it called when you see your family doctor first?
In French, the language of the exam: Comment s'appelle le fait de consulter d'abord son médecin traitant ?
Seeing your family doctor first is called the coordinated care pathway.
Who can advise you about everyday pains?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui peut vous conseiller pour les douleurs du quotidien ?
The pharmacist can give you advice about everyday pains.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
More in this topic (Health)
- Access to care: on-call doctors and pharmacies
- Access to healthcare: free care centres
- Access to healthcare: emergency services and numbers
Source
Sheet “Accès aux soins : le parcours de santé” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.