The issue of continuity of care is a major concern in many countries. It can be considered from the ongoing transformations of the French healthcare system, until recently characterized by a centralized, bureaucratic regulation leaving nonetheless considerable autonomy to its key actors—patients and healthcare professionals alike. The system is currently undergoing a paradigmatic shift, granting a greater role to intermediate levels of governance responsible for coordinating care at local level in the context of an ageing population, a scarce medical workforce, and the increasing use of digital technologies. This transformation, however, remains fragile and uncertain. Under growing budget constraints, it may at any moment revert to the logic of bureaucratic an authoritarian centralization. At the same time, many key issues about the coordination of care remain unresolved, particularly in terms of social inequalities or in the relationship between community-based care and hospitals. Will the coming presidential election help clarify these ongoing transformations?
