Emergency services in France: patients wait an average of 3 hours and 10 minutes before treatment

Paris – 06/02/2026: The average waiting time in French emergency services reached a new record in 2023. A survey by the French Ministry of Health reveals that patients have to wait an average of 3 hours and 10 minutes before the start of medical treatment. This represents an increase of about one hour compared to data from 2013.

The study not only describes the total duration until treatment but also provides detailed information about the different phases of the stay. Thus, half of the patients wait less than 8 minutes for a first evaluation, called triage. After this evaluation, the average time before the actual start of treatment is less than 16 minutes. In total, the time between registration and the start of treatment is less than 30 minutes for half of the patients. In contrast, about 10% of emergency patients experience waiting times of more than two hours.

Depending on the course of the stay, the length of care varies considerably. Patients sent home after treatment stay an average of 2 hours and 30 minutes in the emergency department. The length of stay is significantly longer for those who are hospitalized: their average stay exceeds five hours. The situation is particularly problematic for patients transferred to short-stay observation units. Their average length of stay now reaches nearly 15 hours.

The study identifies several causes for the lengthening of waiting times. Structural problems in the French health system play an essential role. Among them, the lack of general practitioners leads many patients to turn to emergency services as their first medical recourse, even when their situation is not urgent. Moreover, the growing number of elderly patients with often more complex health problems contributes to the lengthening of stays. The overload of staff and infrastructure in emergency services thus leads to increased waiting times and complicates rapid care.

The increasing waiting times in emergency services raise questions about safety and quality of care. A longer wait can negatively affect treatment outcomes, especially in critical cases. Specialists therefore call for an improvement in organization and better coordination between outpatient and hospital care to reduce pressure on emergency structures. At the same time, more resources must be allocated to meet growing demands. The available data illustrate the challenges currently facing the French health system.

The study results have been reported by various media, including the websites of Drees and the Ministry of Health as well as in articles in renowned French newspapers. They constitute an important basis for political decisions aimed at improving emergency care and increasing patient satisfaction.