Emergency Rooms in France: Patients Wait an Average of 3 Hours and 10 Minutes to Be Seen

Paris – 06/02/2026: The average waiting time in French emergency rooms reached a new high in 2023. A study by the French Ministry of Health revealed that patients have to wait an average of 3 hours and 10 minutes until 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 care, but also provides details about the different phases of the stay. Thus, half of the patients wait less than 8 minutes for an initial assessment, the so-called triage. After this evaluation, they spend an average of less than 16 minutes until the actual start of treatment. In total, the time between registration and the start of treatment is less than 30 minutes for half of the patients. However, around 10 percent of emergency patients experience waiting times of more than two hours.

Depending on the course of the stay, the length of stay varies considerably. Patients who are discharged to go home after treatment remain in the emergency area for an average of 2 hours and 30 minutes. The duration is significantly longer for those who are hospitalized: their average stay exceeds five hours. The situation is particularly problematic for patients transferred to short-term observation units. There, the average length of stay is now almost 15 hours.

The study identifies various causes for the increase in waiting times. A key role is played by the structural problems of the French healthcare system. This especially includes the shortage of general practitioners, which causes many patients to choose the emergency room as their first point of contact for medical problems, even if they are not acute. In addition, the growing number of older patients with often more complex health problems contributes to longer stays. The overload of staff and infrastructure in emergency departments thus leads to increased waiting times and makes rapid care difficult.

The growing waiting times in emergency departments raise questions about the safety and quality of care. Longer waiting times can negatively affect treatment outcomes, especially in critical cases. Therefore, experts are calling for improvements in organization and greater integration between outpatient and hospital care to reduce pressure on emergency structures. At the same time, more resources should be provided to meet the increasing demands. The presented data highlight the challenges currently faced by the French healthcare system.

The study results have been covered by various media, including the websites of Drees and the Ministry of Health, as well as reports from well-known French newspapers. They provide an important basis for political decisions aimed at improving emergency care and increasing patient satisfaction.