KNS · Topic 1 · 12 questions · about 15 minutes · Free

Health: huisarts, insurance and emergencies

Gezondheid en zorg

In the Netherlands healthcare is built around the family doctor (huisarts). You will learn who to go to and when, how health insurance works and what to do in an emergency.

Explanation

How does the system work?

After moving to the Netherlands you should register with a GP (huisarts) near your home. Do this before you get ill, because some practices don't accept new patients.

When you are ill, you call the huisarts first. On the phone an assistant (doktersassistent) usually asks you a few questions first and decides how urgent your situation is. You need an appointment (afspraak) to see the doctor; turning up without one is usually not possible.

The GP comes first

The huisarts is the 'gatekeeper' of the healthcare system. If you need to see a specialist or go to hospital, the huisarts gives you a referral (verwijzing). If you go without a referral, your insurance may not pay the costs.

You don't pay out of pocket to see the huisarts; this is covered by your insurance. For babies and young children there is also the consultatiebureau: there the child's development is monitored and vaccinations are given.

Health insurance (zorgverzekering)

Everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must have health insurance. From the age of 18 you take out your own basic insurance (basisverzekering) and pay a premium every month; children under 18 are added to a parent's insurance free of charge.

The government decides what the basic package covers. If you want, you can also take out supplementary insurance (aanvullende verzekering). Every year you pay the first part of certain costs yourself; this is called the eigen risico and the amount is set again each year. If your income is low, you can apply for zorgtoeslag.

Who to go to, and when?

Going to the right place saves time and avoids unnecessary costs. This table sums up the most common situations.

Situation	Where to go?
You are ill but it's not urgent	de huisarts (make an appointment)
An urgent problem in the evening, at night or at the weekend	de huisartsenpost (call first)
Life-threatening: loss of consciousness, serious accident	112
Prescription medicine	de apotheek
Painkillers, vitamins, creams	de drogist
Toothache, dental check-up	de tandarts

Useful sentences at the doctor's

These phrases are very useful on the phone and during the consultation.

Ik wil graag een afspraak maken.I'd like to make an appointment.
Ik ben al drie dagen ziek.I've been ill for three days.
Ik heb pijn in mijn buik.I have a pain in my stomach.
Mijn kind heeft hoge koorts.My child has a high fever.
Moet ik deze medicijnen elke dag innemen?Do I have to take these medicines every day?

Pharmacy, drugstore and medicines

You can only get prescription medicines (medicijnen op recept) at the pharmacy (apotheek). The pharmacist (apotheker) explains how and when to take the medicine; it is also important to read the leaflet in the box (bijsluiter). Most people always go to the same pharmacy; that way the pharmacy knows all the medicines you use and can notice medicines that don't go well together.

You can buy products without a prescription, like painkillers (paracetamol), nasal spray or cream, at the drogist, and some of them also at the supermarket. If a medicine you use every day is running out, you ask the huisarts or the pharmacy for a repeat prescription (herhaalrecept); do this a few days before the medicine runs out.

Ik wil graag mijn herhaalrecept bestellen.I'd like to order my repeat prescription.
Hoe vaak per dag moet ik dit innemen?How many times a day do I have to take this?

Talking to the assistant on the phone

When you call the huisarts, the assistant first asks a few questions. Understanding the questions and giving short, clear answers makes it easier to get an appointment. Read these sentences out loud.

Sinds wanneer heeft u deze klachten?Since when have you had these symptoms?
Ik heb sinds gisteren koorts en keelpijn.I've had a fever and a sore throat since yesterday.
Kunt u vanmiddag om drie uur langskomen?Can you come in this afternoon at three o'clock?
Ik kan morgen niet komen. Ik wil mijn afspraak afzeggen.I can't come tomorrow. I'd like to cancel my appointment.
Kunt u wat langzamer praten, alstublieft?Could you speak a bit more slowly, please?
Mijn zoon is gevallen en zijn arm doet veel pijn.My son fell and his arm hurts a lot.

Exam tip

In KNS exam questions about health, the right answer is often 'the huisarts first'. If there is no danger to life, going straight to the hospital is the wrong answer. If it's evening, night or the weekend, choose the huisartsenpost.

112 is only for real emergencies where a life is in danger. If you want to reach the police about something that isn't urgent, you call 0900-8844.

Different from what you may be used to

In many countries, Turkey among them, people go straight to the hospital or the emergency room when they get ill. In the Netherlands the hospital emergency department (Spoedeisende Hulp, SEH for short) is only for real emergencies and referred patients.

Medicines such as antibiotics are not given without a prescription, and doctors don't prescribe antibiotics unless they are really needed. For adults most dental treatment is not in the basic package; if you don't have supplementary insurance, you pay the bill yourself.

Common mistakes

Don't stop taking antibiotics halfway because you feel better; finish the course for as long as the doctor said (de kuur afmaken). Don't give medicine prescribed for you to someone else, and don't use someone else's medicine. Take leftover medicines back to the pharmacy, don't throw them in the bin.

Always cancel an appointment you can't attend in advance; some practices may charge a fee for a missed appointment. Also, don't call 112 for situations that are not emergencies: for a mild fever you call the huisarts, and in the evening and at weekends the huisartsenpost.

Words you need

de huisartsGP, family doctor
de zorgverzekeringhealth insurance
de apotheekpharmacy
het receptprescription
de afspraakappointment
het ziekenhuishospital
de verwijzingreferral
de tandartsdentist
de drogistdrugstore (products without prescription)
de huisartsenpostout-of-hours GP service
het consultatiebureaubaby and child health clinic
de bijsluiterpackage leaflet

Example questions

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Question 1

U bent ziek. Naar wie gaat u eerst?

You are ill. Who do you go to first?

In the Netherlands, when you get ill you go to your GP (huisarts) first. If necessary, the GP refers you to the hospital.

Test yourself

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Question 1

U bent ziek. Naar wie gaat u eerst?

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