In the Netherlands a general practitioner (GP) or family doctor is called a 'huisarts'. GPs can be visited during consulting hours, after making an appointment by telephone.
We strongly advise you to register with a GP as soon as possible. There are two options: to register with a GP in your neighbourhood or to register with the Zernike GP post. For the first option you can ask your
neighbours
or your student manager for advice.
The Zernike GP post is a GP post especially for students and staff of the University of Groningen and the Hanze University of Applied Sciences. Registering as a patient is easy, after you have filled in the registration form, you will be able to login and make an appointment.
Please take notice of the following
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In the Netherlands you are not permitted to go directly to the hospital (unless it is an emergency). If treatment by a specialist is needed, you should first consult a GP, who will give you a referral letter. Remember to make a photocopy of the referral letter for your medical insurance company;
-
Remember to take your insurance papers with you whenever you visit a GP, dentist, hospital or pharmacy;
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The GP will not always automatically prescribe medicine. In some cases, a GP will make house calls, but bear in mind that these consultations are more expensive;
- Do not forget to make an appointment before going to any GP surgery.
After-hours GP service (in Dutch: Centrale Doktersdienst)
GPs share duties after working hours. Should you urgently need the help of a GP at night, during the weekend or on public holidays, you should call the central ‘After-hours GP service’ (Centrale Doktersdienst). In most cases, they will ask you to come over for a consultation.
Damsterdiep 191,
9713 EC Groningen (not far from the University Medical Center Groningen)
Tel: 0900 - 92 29 (€0,10 per minute). Keep your insurance card at hand when you call!
In an emergency, call 112.
Reimbursement of invoices
An overview of health insurance possibilities and the way to pay or reimburse invoices from the GP:
- EHIC (EU Health Card) ―› send your invoices to AGIS, with a copy of your EHIC card
- AON ―› the GP office will send the bill directly to AON
- foreign health insurance ―› you will have to pay in cash, keep the receipts for possible reimbursement
- Dutch health insurance ―› present insurance card, payments will be made by the insurance company
For more information:
AGIS Health Insurance
(AGIS Zorgverzekeringen)
Afdeling Buitenland
Postbus 193800 HA Amersfoort
Tel: 0900-86 85 (€0,03 p/m)
AON Health Insurance
www.students-insurance.eu
