Healthcare

The general practitioner (GP), called ahuisartsin Dutch, is unknown in many health systems. In addition, the role of GPs in other health systems may be different from the very central role of the GP in Dutch healthcare.

The GP is your first contact in The Netherlands, even if you would prefer to see a doctor in the hospital. The GP will assess your symptoms and give you a referral to another specialist if they deem it necessary.

Specialized healthcare, in a hospital, will be guided via the GP. Please look a the infographic on what you can expect when you need a GP, from your symptoms to possible rediction to the hospital, and also what a GP assistant does. It is also important to know that in emergency situations, you need to call 112 to ask for emergencie services.

Prescription medicines

Most medicines require a prescription from your GP after a personal consultation. International students are sometimes surprised that a consultation does not always result in medication or additional tests. Dutch GPs may advise monitoring symptoms first and only prescribe medication or refer patients when medically necessary.

• Insurance requirement and payment

You are obliged to be health insured in the Netherlands.
Make sure you are properly insured and know how payment arrangements work with the GP practice in your area before making an appointment.

Always check your insurance policy to see what is covered and how reimbursement works.
If you want to learn more about what it costs to visit the GP, why you need to be insured and what happens during a visit to the GP or billing.

• Know what you need and how to ask

In general: you should not be afraid to ask for the information or service that you need or feel comfortable with.

Your GP takes your story seriously. They may ask what you think is going on or whether you have any ideas about the cause of your symptoms. This is not a test and does not mean the GP doesn't know what to do. It helps them understand your perspective, what you have already looked into, and any worries or fears you may have.

Access to GP care can differ per region. The overview below provides insight into how students can access GP care in each region, including information on registration, appointment booking, website accessibility, and alternative options such as the passing patient ("passant") arrangement when registration is not possible. See below for practical information on gaining access to a GP.

Overview GP in the Fontys regions:

* Digital registration process without a BSN in the Brainport region

International students can still register digitally in the Brainport region via Huisarts Zuid-Oost Brabant, but a few automatic steps won’t work:

If you call the GP’s office to make an appointment or have contact after you registered (depending on the region you live in), the GP’s assistant, will ask questions to determine the urgency of your situation.

The GP’s assistant is a professional and has an obligation of secrecy. Asking questions is done only to have the patient and the doctor better prepared, or in some cases, to check if more immediate action is required.

If your GP cannot diagnose or treat a problem you will referred to a specialist. Your GP will usually provide you a letter of referral to be given to the specialist. To visit other primary care providers, such as a physiotherapist or dentist there you don`t need a referral from your GP.

Check your health insurance to see what care you have covered.

If you need your GP after regular opening hours the answering machine will tell you how to reach the doctor on duty in your area. Pharmacies also have this procedure during off hours.

In many cases there is a central office (Centrale Huisartsen Post) from where doctors (in turn) operate during off hours. These after hour services can only be used in case of an urgent medical situation that cannot wait until regular office hours.

In a life-threatening emergency, always call 112 immediately.