GP, Dentist, Pharmacy
It is common in the Netherlands to be registered as a patient with a general practitioner (GP) or family doctor (‘huisarts’). The GP is your first contact person when you have health problems. You can make an appointment with your GP, who will examine you. If the problem can be solved with medication, he/she will write a prescription, which you can pick up at the pharmacy immediately. If further examination or a hospital procedure is needed, the GP will refer you to a specialist.
As the selection of a GP is a personal choice we cannot refer you to one particular GP in Maastricht. In general, all GPs speak English and most of them will offer you the opportunity to get to know them in an introductory interview after you have registered as a new patient.
When choosing a GP it’s probably most convenient to have one close to your home. Go to www.zorginkaart.nl type your postal code and the maximum distance you would prefer to travel between your home and the GP practice. Click on “toon huisartsen” to open a list of the nearest GPs, then on ‘details’ to view the GP’s address and phone number. Simply call and make an appointment to register. Please remember to bring proof of health insurance (i.e., your insurance card) when registering.
Dentists:
Likewise, you can register with a local dentist (tandarts). You can use the website www.zorginkaart.nl or simply Google “tandarts maastricht” to find one. Some dentists may not accept new patients due to capacity limits. Note that dental care coverage depends on your specific health insurance policy. If not, you can of course still register and simply have the bills sent to your home address.
Pharmacies:
It is also probably most convenient to have a pharmacy (apotheek) close to your home. As most of the medication sold in pharmacies is only available on prescription by your GP, the easiest way to find a pharmacy is to ask your GP.
Weekends and evenings:
If you need to see a doctor after office hours or during weekends, contact the MUMC+ hospital ER (huisartsenpost) on 043-3877777. For prescriptions, Straver Pharmacy at the Akersteenweg 88 in Maastricht is open 24 hours 7 days a week.
Emergencies:
Dial 112 to call the hospital (for an ambulance), police and fire department in case of emergency.