The ADELI directory was definitively decommissioned in October 2024. Any search for an ADELI number assigned to a foreign doctor practicing in France now refers to the RPPS, the only valid identification reference. The transition was automatic, but its practical implications for verifying practitioners who graduated outside of France deserve careful examination.
RPPS Verification of a Foreign Doctor: What the Post-ADELI Transition Changes Technically
Before October 2024, a foreign doctor authorized to practice in France could appear in ADELI with a nine-digit number, the first two of which corresponded to the department of practice. This number was assigned by the ARS after registering the diploma and the authorization to practice.
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Since the decommissioning, the RPPS number completely replaces this logic. The RPPS is assigned for life, regardless of the department or change of practice location. For a foreign doctor, creation in the RPPS is triggered by registration with the Order of Physicians, no longer by submitting a file to the ARS.
We observe that some healthcare institutions still retain old ADELI numbers in their internal files. These identifiers can no longer be queried in the Health Directory. If a practitioner presents an ADELI number as proof, you should ask for their eleven-digit RPPS number, the only identifier recognized by the health insurance tele-services.
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To find out how to verify a practitioner’s ADELI in this new context, the process boils down to querying the Health Directory of the Digital Health Agency with the name, first name, or directly the RPPS number of the concerned doctor.
Health Directory: Querying the RPPS Database for a Graduate Outside France
The Health Directory, accessible online, publishes data certified by professional orders and the military health service. For a foreign doctor, the profile displays several decisive elements.
- The practice status (active, suspended, struck off), updated by the Order of Physicians after verifying the authorization to practice issued by the Ministry of Health or the competent commission.
- The specialty recognized in France, which may differ from that practiced in the country of origin if the equivalence has not been fully validated.
- The declared practice locations (private practice, healthcare facility, replacement), with the corresponding addresses.
- The date of first registration, which allows cross-referencing the seniority of the authorization to practice on French territory.
If the practitioner does not appear in the Health Directory, there are two possibilities: either they have not yet finalized their registration with the order, or their authorization to practice has not been issued. In both cases, the absence of an active RPPS profile means that the practitioner is not authorized to practice.
Authorization to Practice and Registration with the Order: The Regulatory Pathway for Foreign Doctors
Verifying the RPPS number is not enough to understand the administrative pathway that conditions the legality of practice. We recommend knowing the steps upstream to assess the reliability of a profile.
A doctor graduated outside the European Union must obtain a authorization to practice issued by the Ministry of Health, after examination of their file by a national commission. Only after obtaining this authorization can they register with the Order of Physicians.
The registration with the order triggers the creation of the RPPS profile. Without this registration, no RPPS number is generated, and the practitioner cannot prescribe, bill to health insurance, or access tele-services (ALD protocols, dematerialized sick leave).
Particular Case of European Doctors
A doctor holding a diploma recognized within the European Union benefits from automatic recognition of qualifications. The procedure is faster, but registration with the order remains mandatory. The RPPS number is assigned under the same conditions.
Doctors Practicing from Abroad in the French System
A foreign doctor who does not physically practice in France but intervenes in the French healthcare system (for example, a Swiss doctor treating cross-border patients) must sign an agreement with the French health insurance. This agreement assigns them a health professional number and an RPPS registration, even without an office on the territory.
Cross-Verification of Diplomas and Authorization to Practice in Establishments
HR procedures in healthcare establishments have evolved. They no longer simply request an ADELI or RPPS number. Cross-verification is now the norm for recruiting doctors graduated abroad.
This verification focuses on three simultaneous points:
- The authenticity of the diploma, verified with the university of origin or through the databases of the ENIC-NARIC France Center.
- The authorization to practice in France, verifiable with the Ministry of Health or the competent ARS.
- The active registration in the RPPS via the Health Directory, confirming that the Order of Physicians has validated the file.
A recruiter who limits themselves to consulting the Health Directory takes a risk. The directory confirms the existence of a registration but does not detail the pathway of diploma validation. For a foreign doctor, the concordance between these three sources constitutes the only reliable guarantee.
The disappearance of ADELI simplifies identification (one number, one directory), but it does not exempt from complete documentary verification. The RPPS certifies professional identity, not the veracity of the diploma prior to the authorization to practice. Cross-referencing the Health Directory, the ministerial authorization, and the diploma remains the only robust method to secure recruitment or care by a foreign doctor in France.