Daily LifeFinding English Speaking Doctors in France

By
Marguerite Leitner
Integra Global

You might say that finding an English speaking doctor in France is like discovering a truffle patch in the forest. Well worth the search once you find it but hard going beforehand.

The US Embassy in Paris makes it a little easier by updating a list every six months of doctors and hospitals who speak English. This list is no assurance of how good the doctors are or how well they speak English but it is a convenient place to start.

The list can be found at: http://paris.usembassy.gov/consul/acs/guide/doc.pdf

If you have international health insurance a good place to start is by asking your provider to help you out in this area. Most international health insurance companies provide this service to their members.

Another good source is to belong to IAMAT- International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers. Founded by an Italian doctor in 1960 who realized how important it is for international travelers to have doctors who understand the particular needs of an overseas patient. By joining, which is free, you will have access to their database of English speaking doctors around the globe. Go to: www.iamat.org

Another avenue preferred by many Americans is to go back to the US for medical care during their holidays and leave. As medical practices and especially patient care are different in each country many people feel better served by their countrymen. But given the steep prices and billing practices of US hospitals and medical providers it is a good idea to have an insurance plan in place that is comfortable with handling US claims.

Integra Global offers access to a large network of US hospitals and medical providers with their Personal Health plan.

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