Stay in hospital

Verified 26 November 2025 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Wondering how a hospital stay goes? At the time of entry, certain formalities are necessary. The welcome booklet gives you all the useful information during your stay. Rules specify the modalities related to the exit. We're taking stock of the regulations.

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Scheduled Input

If your admission to the hospital or clinic is planned in advance, i.e. scheduled (example: you have a specific date for an operation), it is done in the admissions department of the institution.

Documents to be submitted

You must submit the following documents:

If you benefit from it, you will also need proof of the rights to state medical aid (AME) or to the complementary health solidarity.

If you don't have these documents, you must submit one of the following documents:

  • Last pay slip (if you are an employee)
  • Or last certificate of payment of unemployment benefit if you are a jobseeker compensated by France Travail
  • Or a retirement or disability pension or permanent incapacity pension
  • Or the coverage issued by your social security organization, if you are a national of another country (outside the EU-EEA-Switzerland).

Please note

If you are an irregular foreigner and you cannot provide any of these documents, your health insurance fund may, under certain conditions, issue an emergency admission certificate to state medical aid (AME). This procedure will be done at your request or at the initiative of the health facility in which you are admitted.

Information that can be given

Medical information may be useful:

  • Examination results (examples: analyses, radios)
  • Health record
  • Blood group and rhesus map
  • Mail from the attending physician.

You must also indicate the people to keep informed of your health (family, relatives, trusted person...).

Once your file is registered, the admissions department will give you a situation or hospitalization report.

This bulletin serves as a notice ofwork stoppage.

You must send it in the 48 hours who follows your hospitalization at:

  • Your employer if you are an employee
  • France Work if you are a jobseeker
  • And, in any case, to your health insurance fund.

Indeed, this bulletin allows your health insurance fund to calculate and pay you daily allowances.

Please note

If your state of health does not allow you to meet this 48-hour deadline, the hospital takes the necessary steps.

Welcome booklet

A welcome booklet is given to anyone hospitalized.

It presents in particular the following points:

  • Establishment (organization, administrative formalities...)
  • Conditions under which complaints and complaints are examined
  • Conditions of visit and reception of relatives, rights and obligations of patients, procedures for deposits of money and value...
  • Activities, services and services of the establishment (social service schedule, provision of a library, religious practice area...)
  • Volunteer associations involved in the establishment.

The charter of the hospitalized person and an exit questionnaire are annexed thereto.

Emergency Entry

Documents to be submitted

As soon as your health allows, you or a loved one must present the necessary documents to the admissions office in particular :

In any case, if you are working, you must warn (or have warned) your employer.

Please note

Access to the public hospital service is guaranteed to the most deprived people. Persons who cannot prove that they are covered by the State's health insurance or medical aid are covered by public health establishments and private health establishments participating in the public hospital service for urgent care.

Welcome booklet

A welcome booklet is given to anyone hospitalized.

It presents in particular the following points:

  • Establishment (organization, administrative formalities...)
  • Conditions under which complaints and complaints are examined
  • Conditions of visit and reception of relatives, rights and obligations of patients, procedures for deposits of money and value...
  • Activities, services and services of the establishment (social service schedule, provision of a library, religious practice area...)
  • Volunteer associations involved in the establishment.

The charter of the hospitalized person and an exit questionnaire are annexed thereto.

Information on health status

Information related to your health is communicated to you:

  • By the doctor responsible for the structure concerned
  • Or by any member of the medical staff of the institution
  • Or by the doctor responsible for your care.

Linen and clothing

Personal clothing is not provided by the hospital (pajamas, dressing gown...), nor toiletries.

The health facility provides bed and table linen.

Visits, meals, telephone reception

The hospital brings to your attention the means to:

  • Your loved ones to know the conditions, including hours, in which they can be received by doctors
  • You and your entourage to know the schedules (meals, visit, telephone reception...).

This information can be found in the welcome booklet.

The health facility guarantees you the right to receive every day any visitor of your choice.

The visitor is not obliged to inform the establishment in advance of his arrival. However, you can express the wish that the visitor informs before the establishment.

FYI  

A visit may be prohibited if it constitutes a threat to public order or a risk to your health.

Television

If it is not already settled, it is possible to request a television. This service can be free or paid depending on the establishment.

In case of theft in your room

The hospital is not responsible in principle if you decide to keep your items.

If you have not decided to keep your items, the hospital is only responsible for the items entrusted to it.

This is why it is recommended to deposit your valuables (money, means of payment, identity papers, jewelry...) with the admission service.

The service will give you a receipt.

Exit decision

Unless you are a minor or have been hospitalized, you can leave the institution at any time.

If the discharge request is deemed premature by the doctor and presents a danger to your health, you must sign a certificate. This attestation establishes that you have been aware of the dangers that this exit represents.

If you refuse to sign it, a record of the refusal is drawn up.

During your discharge, the doctor writes a liaison letter containing the elements useful for the continuity of care. For example: medical synthesis, prescribed treatments, announcement of waiting for results.

This letter is given to you by this doctor or another member of the healthcare team.

After hospitalization

Depending on the evolution of your health, the hospital doctor may prescribe:

Your attending physician receives all relevant information and has access to medical record completed by the hospital.

You can consult your file yourself. You receive the medical certificates and prescriptions necessary for the continuation of care.

If after your discharge you have health problems, the social service of your health insurance fund can help you.

This service can inform you about financial assistance, housing adaptation, home help...

FYI  

If you have difficulties in paying hospitalization costs who remains at your expense, you can ask for support, financial assistance and avoid the hospital asking for payment to one of your relatives

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Health Info Rights

    Telephone line created by a collective of user associations to provide legal or social information related to health

    By phone

    01 53 62 40 30

    Price of a normal communication

    Open Service:

    • Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2pm to 6pm
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2pm to 8pm.

    By email

    https://www.france-assos-sante.org/sante-info-droits/

    The response time by email is 15 days.

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