Visiting a Doctor (Hausarzt) In Germany [2024] - Navigate Germany

Health issues can not be avoided and you might need to visit a doctor in Germany when you are sick. Health insurance is mandatory as the health care facilities are expensive. If you are ill, Gute Besserung which means hope you get better.

Requirements to Access Doctors in Germany

Health insurance is mandatory for visiting a doctor in Germany irrespective of your residence status. It is illegal to remain uninsured, so German doctors ask for advance payment if a patient is uninsured.

If you are from the EU and Switzerland, use your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) that covers only the emergency instances and minor medical concerns.

Finding a Doctor in Germany

Finding a doctor in Germany might be challenging due to the language barrier. Ask your friends or search for a list of doctors on different websites such as www.med-kolleg.de (English website) according to the location and specialty. To answer the questions asked by the doctor, take a friend with you who is fluent in German. An English-German dictionary will also be helpful.

Consult a general practitioner (Allgemeinarzt) by searching for “Allgemeinarzt Englisch + your city” on Google. Once a general practitioner refers to a specialist, get an appointment to discuss further. If you cannot go to work, you will get ‘Krankheitsbescheinigung’ (illness confirmation) from your general practitioner to share with your employer. Multiple health platforms such as Doctena and Zava connect patients with doctors.

English Speaking Doctors

Doctors in major cities can speak basic English. You can consult your friend, use an online forum, or check the Irish embassy website to get a list of English-speaking doctors. The US consulate also has a list of doctors in Berlin, Frankfurt, and other major cities. Die Techniker’s online search tool is also available to find an English-speaking doctor. Finding an English-speaking doctor in small towns and rural areas is not easy so you can go with someone who can translate the talk.

Registering with a Doctor

You can select any doctor of your choice and visit on the appointed date. You can register to a new doctor whenever you want but it is not beneficial as your doctor knows your medical history, issues, and all about treatment.

Getting Appointment

Make an appointment over telephone or in person. Arzthelfer or the doctor’s assistant will only inquire about the day and time. Remember these phrases when getting an appointment:

• Ich möchte einen Termin machen: I would like to make an appointment
• Es ist dringend. Haben Sie keinen früheren Termin? It is urgent. Don’t you have an earlier appointment?

On The Day of Appointment

When you visit a doctor, show your health insurance card Krankenversicherungskarte. If you are visiting a doctor for the first time, you will fill up a form. You might need to wait for your selected doctor if the number of patients is high, so you can contact and inquire before you visit. 

When you visit, the receptionist will take you to the consultation room where you will share the issue and a doctor will examine you. You can have online services offered by your insurance provider and dispatch for occasional emergency visits or dial 116117 for on-call medical service.

Office Hours

Doctors are commonly part of hospital staff and keep private practice too, so their office hours (Sprechstunden) are limited. Private doctors have office hours of 8am to 1pm and 3pm to 6pm. Wednesdays are an exception as doctors are closed that day.

Doctors see their patients on a first come first serve basis irrespective of the appointment but Hausarzt (General Practitioner or Primary Care Physician) has an open door policy.

Outside Office Hours

A few doctors work during weekends and holidays if you need urgent medical assistance. In case of an emergency, you can find the emergency doctors in your local newspaper through the heading of Notdienst Kalender which means emergency calendar. Here, you will find the list of after-hour doctors (Arzte), Pharmacies (Apotheke), and ambulance service (Krankentransport).

Medical Specialists

Specialist care is available for all residents in Germany, so patients can call or get an appointment online. Sometimes, you might need a referral. Waiting time depends on the urgency and availability due to which you might need to wait for a few days to months.

Finding a Specialist

Visiting a specialist is almost the same as visiting a general doctor. Use online platforms like Doctolib, KBV and Jameda to search for a specialist or check expat groups of English speakers and Embassy listings of US consulates.

Private Doctors in Germany

You will find a lot of private doctors via tool of the Federal Association of Private Doctors (Privatärztlicher Bundesverband – PBV) but some of them see patients who are insured privately. They offer medicines which are covered under their private insurance. Private doctors have short waiting time due to which people prefer them, but patients with public insurance cannot see private doctors, rehabilitation centers, and private hospitals in Germany.

Visiting a Dentist

Visit a dentist if you have issues with your gums. Dental treatments are usually not covered in any private or public insurance and you need extra dental insurance (Zahn Zusatzversicherung) to cover those treatments.

Doctor’s Prescriptions

Doctors write a paper prescription (Rezept) prescribing required medication to their patients but some treatments don’t need a prescription such as antibiotics, home remedies, and herbal treatments. Germany started electronic prescriptions (E-Rezept) in 2022. Patients can purchase the prescribed medicines from pharmacy (Apotheke) or over-the-counter (OTC). Medicines like aspirin, paracetamol, or cough syrup can be purchased without a prescription at a cost less than €2 for a pack.

Medical Tests

Medical testing in Germany is different from other countries. In the US a blood check for anaemia is a standard for infants. But not recommended in Germany until there are potential concerns regarding anaemia.

A doctor might ask their patients to go through required medical tests such as blood tests, urine sampling, ultrasound and the results are available online. If a patient wants some testing himself/herself, they won’t be fully covered in their insurance plan.

Gesundheitskarte

The health insurance card (Gesundheitskarte) confirms your health insurance when you visit a doctor or go to a hospital. Keep it with you as you need to show when your doctor or hospital staff would ask for it. Around 85% of Germans have public health insurance while 15% have private insurance.

Cost of Visiting A Doctors

Your health insurance includes annual checkups, paediatric examinations, and urgent medical care. Health insurance does not include a hearing test, HPV test, and toxoplasmosis test (required during pregnancy). If you are not insured, you need to make advance payments for treatment.

Paid Sick Leave in Germany

Paid sick leave of six weeks is given to those who have public health insurance which is allowed only if your doctor confirms your illness (Krankenbescheinigung). Stay in touch with the company when you are sick so you may get sick pay. Self-employed people can only get sick pay if they have private health insurance.

What to Know When Visiting a Doctor?

The German health care system is different as compared to other countries. So, plan carefully to enjoy a positive experience.

Doctor’s Honesty

German laws are very strict so patients get an honest and transparent treatment by doctors. Doctors share the real scenario with the patients even if the family wants to hide the truth.

Detailed Information to Patients

German doctors are legally bound to tell their patients about their health issues and possible treatment. Patients must sign a consent form and have full right to inquire about the treatment.

Efficiency

Germany is famous for being an efficient country. German hospitals are to ensure that patients are getting effective and on-time treatment.

High-Quality Care

During your research before visiting a doctor in Germany, you will get to know that they offer high quality care and patients receive a low-stress and worry-free experience.

Quality Treatment

German hospitals offer the best facilities and care to their patients. Privacy and comfort level is not the priority but quality of treatment is super high and never compromised.

Questioning by Doctors

German doctors require a lot of information about the medical history of the patient to give them the best treatment according to their health issues.

Conclusion

Health insurance is necessary by law in Germany but public health insurance does not offer a lot of benefits when visiting a doctor as compared to private health insurance. Keep your insurance card with you whenever you visit a doctor or a hospital in Germany.

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