The ultimate guide to going to the doctor in the Netherlands in 2024

Healthcare, here we come 🩺

Navigating the healthcare system when you’re new to a country can be challenging, and if you’re wondering how to go to the doctor in the Netherlands, you’re not alone.

From registering with a huisarts (general practitioner) to understanding when you’ll need a referral, there are some things to keep in mind when planning a first visit to the doctor in the Netherlands.

Wait, is this an emergency?

Regardless of your situation, if you’ve had an accident or see someone who needs urgent help, you should call the emergency number 112 as quickly as possible.

Going to the doctor in the Netherlands: What is a huisarts?

Dutch can be a complicated language. Even though the word huisarts might sound like some artwork you have back at your house, that’s hardly the case.

Huisarts translates to “house doctor,” and refers to General Practitioners (GPs) in the Netherlands.

dutch-doctor-examining-patient-report-as-healthcare-premiums-increase
Your Dutch GP is your first stop for all health related business. Image: Dreamstime

It is always better to register with a GP in the Netherlands right away because it might be hard to do so when you need actual help.

And who wants to deal with Dutch bureaucracy while feeling under the weather? Exactly.

How to find a doctor in the Netherlands

Now that you know what a huisarts is and that you need one to make a doctor’s appointment, let’s get things going: How do you find a general practitioner in the Netherlands?

The Dutch have made it fairly easy to find a local doctor. Simply go to the ZorgkaartNederland website and pick your municipality. God bless the internet. 🙌

The website is only available in Dutch, so, unfortunately, you’ll have to rely on your Google Translate extension for it!

If you prefer things to be simpler, a Google search with the city you live in and the word ‘huisarts‘ may also work.

Alternatively, you can contact your gemeente (municipality). They’ll be happy to help you find a GP in your area or to provide you with a list of local huisartsen.

Registering with a general practitioner in the Netherlands

It’s important to know that, in the Netherlands, you can’t just rock up to any doctor’s office if you’re feeling under the weather.

Instead, you must be registered with your GP before paying them a visit (unless you’re considered an ‘urgent case’).

READ MORE | How to register with a doctor in the Netherlands

To register with a general practitioner in the Netherlands, you can visit a physician’s website or give them a call.

Person-sitting-on-their-bed-working-on-a-laptop-in-the-moring
Register with the doctor from the comfort of your own bed. Image: Pexels

You’ll neet to provide personal information such as your name, address and Burgerservicenummer (BSN), as well as your health insurance details.

READ MORE | How to choose a health insurance plan in the Netherlands for 2024

Sometimes you’ll find that the GP of your choice is not accepting new patients at the moment. That’s because they have reached the maximum capacity of patients they can treat.

If this is the case, your best bet is to simply opt for a different doctor.

Making an appointment with a doctor in the Netherlands

So the time has come: you’re feeling unwell, and you need to see a doctor in the Netherlands. 🤒

If this happens, you have three options:

  • You can make an appointment by calling your huisarts office directly,
  • You can make an appointment using your GP’s website (if available), or
  • You can check if your doctor has a consultation hour (spreekuur), where you can drop by without an appointment.

What do you do if you just have a few simple questions? Then you might be able to simply give your GP a call and get a consultation over the phone. Nice!

photo-of-sick-young-woman-in-the-netherlands-coughing-calling-her-doctor-on-the-phone
When in doubt, give your doctor’s office a quick call. Image: Freepik

How to see a medical specialist in the Netherlands

Okay, now let’s get to the real deal: What happens if you need to see a specialist in the Netherlands?

Whether it’s a dermatologist, an ENT, or a gynaecologist, you will need a referral from your huisarts to see any specialist in the Netherlands.

Your GP is the one who decides whether to send you to see a specialist or not, so it’s important to clearly state your wish to do so.

Dutch-doctor-and-senior-patient-sitting-across-each-other-in-pratice-during-consultation
Your GP will help you get to a specialist. Image: Depositphotos

After you get a referral from your huisarts, you can go ahead and make an appointment with the specialist.

If you have a specific specialist in mind already, you can also ask for your referral to be made directly to that person.

Once you have the referral papers, it’s always good to ask your insurance company if they wish to see the referral to make sure you’ll get your money back.

Good to know: It is possible to see a specialist without a referral if you would like to — but this varies between healthcare providers. However, in this case, you may have to cover the costs of your visit yourself.

What happens if you go to a doctor in the Netherlands and don’t have health insurance (yet)?

If you have just recently applied for health insurance and you haven’t got an insurance number yet, you can always visit your huisarts (happy news!). 

In the Netherlands, a GP cannot refuse to give you the care you need.

Do keep in mind that being without insurance means you would have to pay the costs yourself.

But it’s not all doom and gloom, and as soon as you receive your insurance number, you can send the bill to your insurance company to get the money back.

What’s up with Dutch doctors and antibiotics?

One of the things to keep in mind is that Dutch doctors might react differently to your health problems than the way you are used to.

Antibiotic resistance is taken very seriously in the Netherlands and is seen as one of the biggest threats to our modern-day life.

Dutch doctors, therefore, only prescribe antibiotics if they diagnose you with a bacterial infection and not a viral one (such as the flu).

Dutch-woman-wearing-striped-shirt-shaking-paracetamol-pills-from-bottle-into-her-hand
Paracetamol is king in the Netherlands. Image: Freepik

READ MORE | I had a good experience with the Dutch healthcare system, am I the only one?

So, if you are coming from a country where antibiotics are seen as a magic pill that solves your every problem, don’t be surprised when your huisarts just shrugs and tells you to get some rest.

How has your experience with doctors in the Netherlands been? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Ceren Spuyman
Ceren Spuyman
Born and raised in Istanbul, Ceren moved when she decided to follow her own Dutchie. Being restless by nature, she is now busy with everything Dutch by majoring in Dutch Studies at Leiden University while living in Delft. Her hobbies are petting as many cats as possible.

8 COMMENTS

  1. Although not bad at all, this article really didn’t cover the essentials about primary care in the Netherlands. The author is mistaken about let’s just say ‘how to see a medical specialist’. You may ‘wish’ to get a federal, a general practioner is the absolute gate keeper on that one. Of course you can always switch to another GP, but you cannot refer yourself. But the thing I missed the most; the ‘huisarts’ only covers office hours in his or her normal practice. A lot of goreigners and dutchies do not know the difference between the SEH (spoedeisende hulp) and the HAP (huisartsenpost) It would have been quite helpfull for a lot of people if this part of the GP’s work was explained. (correct then, that is) Just some food for thought…

  2. my smartphone auto-corrected referal to federal and I missed that one. (line 5) I cannot change it myself so instead another comment. sorry.

  3. worst “controlled” system in all world. If you can choose between Nederland and other country then I would choose defiantly any other country.
    Try to imagine that everything is going via “huisarts” you are not free to choose to go to see specialist without GP (huisarts) referral. If you call for appointment you will be number 10 in row waiting and when it is your turn “GP assistant” will listen to your medical problem and she will decide if you “need” to see GP or not.
    IT’S CRAZY. Remember it’s about your health and here in the Netherlands you will be completely left in cold. In hospital they even have “nurse specialist” who replaced the “internist” can you believe that??
    GP send you to a “nurse specialist” instead to a specialist! I am done with this country!!!!!!
    Medical system is completely controlled by government and they don’t allow “private clinics” to exist so if you have money in this country it’s not goin to help you because you are not free to choose medical help that you prefer! Worst system in world!!!!

    • Completely agree with your comment. As an expat this is TERRIBLE for me, people here do not care about their health at all, doctors are not teach to practice PREVENTIVE medicine, which saves lifes. It really sucks and one of the reasons I’ll leave this country asap.

      • I agree with you totally. However, if a Dutch person hears this instead of accepting it they would say: “ok bye we do not want you in this country” 😂

  4. I’ve had excellent experiences here and dreadful ones. On the whole, it seems like a pretty good system, at least compared to the US where a lot of people can’t even afford to see a doctor.

  5. I feel totally unsafe with the medical system in the Netherlands and the ignorance of GPs who they think they can treat anything.
    The visit to a specialist can take weeks and some are very bad on their diagnoses.

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