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The_ médecin traitant_ (GP) is your primary health provider in France but in many areas, particularly rural and semi-rural ones, their availability is limited. In 2020, 5.4million people are

reported as not having access to a _médecin traitant_ and the problem of how to attract doctors to many areas remains. We look at what to do if you are struggling to register with a GP.

Once you have registered for healthcare in France and have a carte Vitale, the next step is to find a_ médecin traitant_. This doctor is considered your personal physician, who will track

your health over the years and coordinate your care with specialists. In theory, your _médecin traitant_ could be a specialist doctor you see on a regular basis for a specific illness but in

most cases it is a GP. Visits to these doctors are 70% reimbursed by the French healthcare system. Much of the remainder can be covered by a mutuelle top-up health insurance if you have

one. In addition, if your _médecin traitant_ is absent, or if you need to consult another doctor while in another region, the 70% reimbursement rate stays the same. READ MORE: EXPLAINER: WHY

HAVING A DESIGNATED GP IN FRANCE SAVES YOU MONEY However, for many people, particularly those in a MEDICAL DESERT, simply finding a GP ready to take on new long-term patients is a

challenge. WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND A_MÉDECIN TRAITANT_? You will need to inform the healthcare system that you are having difficulty finding a GP. The way to do this is as

follows: 1. Go to the Doctolib website. This is essentially a search engine for medical professionals where you can book appointments with nearby doctors. It also tells you which doctors

offer video consultations, what their specialisations are, and which accept new patients as a_ médecin traitant_. A similar, albeit less useful, search engine is available on the official

AMÉLIE WEBSITE. 2. Use the Doctolib search function to identify all of the doctors in your area who accept new patients. Bear in mind that you probably have to search in a wider area than

you would like. 3. Call the doctors, or better still, visit them. Ask them to be your _médecin traitant_, and if they refuse ask for their reasons. Usually, it will be that they already have

too many patients. 4. Record that information on THIS FORM, called _Difficultés d'accès à un médecin traitant_ (Difficulty in finding a GP). 5. Once the form is complete, send it -

along with a brief covering letter - by recorded post to your regional Cpam (_Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie_). This process should result in the regional health authority either

identifying another potential _médecin traitant_ for you or in some cases asking doctors to reconsider their decision. WHAT IF YOU NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY? Use the DOCTOLIB WEBSITE

to find a doctor that accepts patients without an appointment. If there are none in your area, then contact any doctor in your area. If you are ill and need treatment, doctors are obligated

to see you or to tell you where you can get care. In such cases go to a GP’s surgery, a health centre or a hospital and make your situation clear. As stated in Article R.4127-9 of the code

of medical deontology: “Any doctor who is in the presence of, or informed about, a person who is suffering, injured or in danger, must give them assistance or ensure that they receive the

necessary care.” At night, you can either go to the _Médecin de garde_, on-call medical centres, or to the hospital. To find out where the _Médecin de garde_ is in your region call 116 117.

You can also use one of the growing number of video consultation booths in pharmacies, which are reimbursed as a normal consultation with a GP. READ MORE: STEEP RISE IN USE OF MEDICAL

VIDEO-CHAT BOOTHS IN FRENCH PHARMACIES HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO SEE A DOCTOR WITHOUT A _MÉDECIN TRAITANT_? It costs the same price to see a GP who is not your _médecin traitant_, however the

level of reimbursement is not the same. For a €26.50 consultation, the Assurance Maladie will reimburse you 30%, or €6.95.This compares to €17.55 for a consultation with your _médecin

traitant_. The prices at a _Médecin de garde_ are higher: * From 20:00 to 0:00: €42.50 * From 0:00 to 6:00: €51.50 If you have a _médecin traitant_, these costs are reimbursed at 70%.

Without one, you are only reimbursed 30%. READ MORE: DOCTORS’ FEES GO UP IN FRANCE – AND COULD RISE AGAIN HOW TO GET A WEEKEND OR OUT-OF-HOURS DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENT IN FRANCE