Emergency Room Wait Times in France Surge Over the Past Decade

A Drees study reveals longer stays, reduced hospital capacity, and increasing reliance on emergency care due to limited access to other healthcare options.

The median duration of emergency room visits in France increased by 45 minutes over the past 10 years, reaching over 3 hours in 2023.
21% of patients visited emergency rooms in 2023 due to the inability to secure appointments elsewhere, up from 13% in 2013.
Elderly patients face the longest delays, with 36% of those over 75 spending more than 8 hours in emergency rooms in 2023, compared to 15% for the general population.
The number of full hospitalization beds in France decreased by 11% over the past decade, representing a loss of 43,000 beds.
The proportion of patients hospitalized after emergency room visits dropped from 23% in 2013 to 20% in 2023, reflecting reduced hospital capacity and evolving medical practices.