1.50 euros. This is the amount of the increase in the price of the consultation with the general practitioner which has just been recorded on Monday. It will thus increase from 25 to 26.50 euros by the fall. For Jean-Christophe Nogrette, deputy general secretary of the MG France union, it is actually an increase of 75 cents. Because according to him, half of the consultation evaporates… in the professional expenses.
What do they consist of? What is their amount? To answer these questions, the general practitioner, whose practice is located in Haute-Vienne, has agreed to open his professional accounts at 20 minutes.
120,000 euros… to be divided by two
“My annual turnover is around 120,000 euros. “Receiving an average of twenty patients a day, at a rate of 25 euros per consultation, he receives 500 euros per day, or 10,000 euros per month, and therefore 120,000 euros per year. “After deducting all my professional expenses, my net profit at the end of the year is around 60,000 euros. The annual turnover is therefore deducted by half.
In France, according to a 2017 study by the Department of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Dress), liberal general practitioners earn an average of 92,000 euros in profits per year. But this amount varies according to the number of patients seen per day and the structure in which the doctor works.
Social contributions and repayment of the mortgage
First category of doctor’s expenses: social security contributions. Liberal GPs, like all other independent professionals, must contribute for their retirement, their maternity leave, their medical expenses, but also in the event of accident or death. Jean-Christophe Nogrette spends 15,000 euros per year for his pension contribution and 12,000 euros for the rest of his contributions to Urssaf.
Second most important expense: rent. The general practitioner, who works alone in his office, spends 1,000 euros per month to repay the mortgage he has taken out. He also pays 300 euros every two months for the electricity of his office. A relatively high amount because it is through this that he heats his premises. Having no secretary or other medical assistant, he pays no staff costs.
Fuel, equipment and cleaning costs
Based 10 km from Limoges, the doctor makes many home visits. 300 euros go every month in his gas costs. Add the 160 euros per month of the medical software thanks to which he works, as well as the 45 euros monthly of computer maintenance. Then the 90 euros every two months for telephone and Internet costs. Finally, last expenses jumbled up: water, equipment, subscription to magazines for the waiting room, cleaning costs, maintenance of the professional car, all for 830 euros per month.
We redo the calculation: 1,000 (rent) + 300 (electricity) + 45 (telephony and Internet) + 1,250 (retirement contribution) + 1,000 (Urssaf contributions) + 300 (petrol) + 160 (medical software) + 45 (computer maintenance) + 830 (professional insurance, equipment, car maintenance, subscription and water) = 4,930 euros of expenses per month. Or 59,160 euros of annual charges.
In the end, for Jean-Christophe Nogrette, this increase of 1.50 euro in the price of the consultation “does not cover inflation”, and the doctor regrets “a measure not at all attractive for young people”. The number of general practitioners practicing in private practice has fallen by 11% in ten years, according to figures from Dress.