Dutch Healthcare System Explained for Expats 2026

The Dutch healthcare system works differently from what many newcomers know from home. The GP (huisarts) is your first point of contact and your route to most other care. Doctors are less likely to prescribe antibiotics and other medication, and a wait-and-see approach is often used for minor illnesses (Thuisarts). This guide explains how the parts fit together.

If you have not yet sorted your health insurance, start with our complete Dutch health insurance guide for expats. The basisverzekering pays for most of the care described below.

💡 Looking for a bank account? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026.

The huisarts: the entire system starts here

The huisarts, the Dutch GP, is your first point of contact for questions about your physical and mental health. The GP is a healthcare specialist: after a 6-year medical education, every GP has had 3 years of specialist training. Your GP coordinates the care you need and is your link to most other services, such as medical specialists or a hospital admission (Thuisarts).

Register early

Thuisarts strongly recommends registering with a GP in your area as soon as you are settled, even if you do not need a doctor right away. You are free to choose your own GP, but in practice a practice may not register you, for example because:

• it is not accepting new patients;
• you live too far away from the practice;
• your health insurer has no contract with that GP, which matters if you have a naturapolis (‘in natura’ policy).

When you register, bring your ID and have your BSN and your health insurance details (name and policy number) at hand. Some practices let you register online (Thuisarts). If you have not yet sorted your BSN, read our BSN registration guide for expats first.

How to find a huisarts:

• Search online for “huisarts” plus your place of residence to see which practices are near you
• Ask the practice whether they are accepting new patients (“Neemt u nog nieuwe patiënten aan?”)
• If you cannot find a GP, ask your health insurer to help you find one
• At your first visit, bring any medical records from your home country and a list of the medicines you take (Thuisarts)

If you are looking specifically for an English-speaking practice, our guide on finding an English-speaking doctor in the Netherlands covers that in much more detail.

Appointments: how they work in practice

Appointments are mostly made online or by phone; some practices also have walk-in consultation hours for short, simple questions. When you call, the GP assistant (doktersassistent) asks questions to judge how serious your situation is, whether you need to see the GP or a practice nurse, and whether a phone consultation would also work. The assistant is a medical professional with a duty of confidentiality (Thuisarts).

A consultation with a GP generally takes 10 to 15 minutes. If you have more than one issue, discuss this with the assistant, who can schedule a 20- or 30-minute appointment. Write down your questions beforehand and bring a list of any medicines you use (Thuisarts).

If you are too ill to come to the practice, the GP can visit you at home. Home visits are for urgent cases and for people who cannot come to the practice for medical reasons; you request one through the GP assistant (Thuisarts).

The Dutch approach to prescribing

Compared with what you may be used to, doctors in the Netherlands are less likely to prescribe antibiotics and other medication. After a consultation you may receive a diagnosis but no medication, with advice to come back if the symptoms do not improve, or to take a painkiller such as paracetamol (Thuisarts).

Thuisarts, the patient website of the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG) together with the Federation of Medical Specialists and the Dutch Patients Federation, gives the reasons: medication can have harmful side effects, a wait-and-see approach is often suitable for minor illnesses such as a sore throat or a common cold, antibiotics do not work against viruses, and bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics that are used often.

What this means for you in practice: if you leave without a prescription and you are not sure why, ask. Thuisarts suggests three questions: what are my options, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each, and what does that mean in my situation? Talk to your GP if you feel uncomfortable not getting a prescription.

Specialists: only with a referral

You cannot visit a medical specialist in the hospital without a referral from your GP (Thuisarts). The referral letter (verwijsbrief) can be digital or on paper, states why you are referred and what the specialist is asked to do, and is needed to make an appointment with the specialist.

How the referral process works

1. Your GP (or the physician assistant at the practice) decides, in consultation with you, that you need to see a specialist
2. You receive the referral letter, digitally or on paper
3. Usually you call the hospital’s outpatient clinic yourself to make an appointment; if the GP thinks you need to be seen very soon, the appointment is made for you
4. After the visit, the specialist sends your GP a letter with the results and any follow-up (Thuisarts)

If you want a referral and the GP does not think it is necessary, the GP will explain why (Thuisarts).

Specialist care is part of the basic package, and the eigen risico of €385 applies to it (Rijksoverheid). With a naturapolis, your insurer contracts selected care providers; you can go to a different provider, but the insurer may then reimburse less, and your policy states how much (Rijksoverheid). Check your insurer’s website before you book. For what the basic package covers, see our article on what Dutch health insurance actually covers.

Waiting times

Waiting times differ per hospital and per specialty. Some hospitals, such as UMC Utrecht, have a waiting times page on their website, so you can compare before you choose where to be treated.

Getting seen faster: practical tips

• Tell your GP if your symptoms are getting worse. If the GP thinks you need to be seen very soon, the appointment is made for you (Thuisarts).
• Ask your health insurer for zorgbemiddeling. The Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) advises asking your insurer for help if you cannot get care in time. If it turns out you cannot be seen in time by a contracted provider, the insurer must fully reimburse care from a non-contracted provider that can treat you in time (NZa).
• Compare hospitals. Waiting times are not the same everywhere; check the hospitals’ own websites.
• If you have international health insurance, check its terms for which providers you can use. Our ONVZ vs Aetna comparison covers two such insurers.

Hospitals: what you need to know

The Netherlands has general hospitals and university medical centres (UMCs).

General hospitals (algemene ziekenhuizen)

Examples include the Maasstad Ziekenhuis in Rotterdam and the Catharina Ziekenhuis in Eindhoven; both have an emergency department (Spoedeisende Hulp).

Academic hospitals (universitair medisch centrum / UMC)

UMCs combine patient care with research and the training of future healthcare professionals. There are seven UMCs in the Netherlands (UMCNL), including Amsterdam UMC, Erasmus MC (Rotterdam), UMC Utrecht and Radboudumc (Nijmegen).

Patients go to UMCs for the most complex care and for rare conditions (UMCNL). As elsewhere, you usually need a referral.

The emergency room (SEH: spoedeisende hulp)

The SEH (spoedeisende hulp) is the hospital emergency department. Emergency care in the hospital is part of the basic package, and the eigen risico applies to it, as it does to ambulance transport (Rijksoverheid).

In a life-threatening emergency, call 112. You will also be told what to do until the ambulance arrives (Thuisarts).

For other urgent medical problems, Thuisarts advises calling your own GP during office hours, and the huisartsenpost in the evening, at night, at the weekend and on public holidays. If you need to go to hospital, the GP will call the ambulance and the specialist at the hospital (Thuisarts).

The huisartsenpost: your after-hours GP

The huisartsenpost (HAP; Thuisarts calls it the out-of-hours service, huisartsen-spoedpost) is a central office where GPs are available on call when your own practice is closed: on weekdays between 5 pm and 8 am, and on weekend days and public holidays (Thuisarts). GP care, including the huisartsenpost, falls outside the eigen risico (Rijksoverheid).

How to contact them

You can call the out-of-hours service. Often you can also email or chat, and sometimes you first fill out a questionnaire (Thuisarts).

You will speak to a specially trained GP assistant who asks for your name, date of birth and health insurance details, and then asks questions to judge how serious your situation is. The outcome can be:

1. Advice or medication after the conversation with the assistant
2. A call back from the GP on duty
3. An appointment to see a GP at the out-of-hours service
4. A home visit by the GP, when that is necessary (Thuisarts)

Finding your local huisartsenpost number

Each region has its own out-of-hours service. You can find the number on your GP practice’s website or on the practice’s answering machine, or by searching for “huisartsen-spoedpost” plus your place of residence (Thuisarts). Save it in your phone before you need it.

The apotheek: pharmacies and prescriptions

Dutch pharmacies, apotheken, dispense prescription medicines and also check your medicines, for example for interactions.

Register with one apotheek

Thuisarts advises registering with a pharmacy near where you live, so that your GP practice knows where to send prescriptions. Your pharmacist keeps a record for every patient and checks your medicines for interactions, so apotheek.nl recommends always collecting your medicines from the same pharmacy.

What requires a prescription

Most medication in the Netherlands is not freely available at the pharmacy and requires a prescription from your GP after a consultation (Thuisarts). Some examples from apotheek.nl:

• Ibuprofen: 200 mg and 400 mg without a prescription; stronger than 400 mg only on prescription
• Antihistamines: cetirizine and loratadine without a prescription; levocetirizine and desloratadine only on prescription
• Sleeping tablets: zopiclone only on prescription
• Codeine: tablets only on prescription; some cough syrups with codeine without

Do not assume that because you bought something over the counter at home, you can do the same here. If you take medication regularly, discuss it with your huisarts early.

Herhaalrecept: repeat prescriptions

For medication you use continuously, you can request a herhaalrecept (repeat prescription). GP practices often have a separate phone number or email address for this. After the GP approves it, the prescription is sent to your pharmacy, where you collect the medicine later (Thuisarts).

Duty pharmacies

When your own apotheek is closed, a dienstapotheek (duty pharmacy) is open (apotheek.nl).

Mental healthcare (GGZ)

If you have mental health symptoms, discuss them with your GP first. The GP treats mild symptoms, together with a practice nurse for mental health (POH-GGZ), and can refer people with moderate to severe problems to a provider within the GGZ (Rijksoverheid).

Basis GGZ

Basis GGZ is care for people with mild to moderate mental health conditions, for example conversations with a psychologist or an online treatment (e-health). It is part of the basic package, and the eigen risico applies (Rijksoverheid). More information is in our mental health support guide for expats in the Netherlands.

Specialistische GGZ

Specialistische GGZ is care for people with severe, complex mental health conditions. The basic package also covers the first 3 years of a stay in a GGZ institution (Rijksoverheid).

While you wait

Waiting times in mental healthcare can be long. There are things you can do:

• Ask your huisarts about the POH-GGZ. The POH-GGZ can help you define your problems and arrange short-term treatment, and discusses your progress with the GP (Thuisarts).
• Ask your health insurer for zorgbemiddeling if you cannot get care in time (NZa).
• De Luisterlijn (088 0767 000). An anonymous listening line, available 24/7 by phone; you can also chat. It offers a listening ear, not professional advice (deluisterlijn.nl).
• 113 Zelfmoordpreventie. If you are thinking about suicide, call 113 free of charge or chat online, day and night, anonymously. If your life is in immediate danger, call 112 (113.nl).
• In a mental health crisis, contact your GP or the huisartsenpost immediately (Thuisarts).
• Ask HR whether your employer offers counselling or an employee assistance programme.

Tandarts: dental care

For adults, most dental care is outside the basic insurance.

The basics

• Children under 18: the basic insurance covers check-ups and treatment at the dentist, and fluoride treatment from the time the permanent teeth come through, with no eigen risico (Rijksoverheid). Braces, crowns, bridges and implants for young people are not covered (Rijksoverheid).
• Adults (18+): the basic insurance covers only surgical dental care and X-rays, and the eigen risico applies (Rijksoverheid). For other dental care, you either take out aanvullende tandartsverzekering (supplementary dental insurance) or pay yourself.

How much supplementary dental insurance reimburses differs per policy. Whether it makes financial sense depends on how much dental work you expect.

Finding a tandarts

A dental practice may not be accepting new patients, so start looking early. Search for “tandarts” plus your neighbourhood or city and ring practices directly. Ask: “Nemen jullie nieuwe patiënten aan?” (Are you taking new patients?).

Emergency numbers: save these before you need them

112

112 is available 24 hours a day and gives access to the ambulance, police and fire brigade (Thuisarts). It is toll-free and can be used in all EU member states (Government.nl). Use it in a life-threatening situation or when you witness a crime.

Your local huisartsenpost number

Find and save this before you need it. It is your number for urgent medical problems that are not life-threatening when your GP practice is closed.

Suspected poisoning

If you suspect a poisoning, contact your huisarts, or the huisartsenpost outside office hours. Your doctor can reach the National Poisons Information Centre (NVIC) day and night; the NVIC’s information line is for doctors and other professionals, not for the public (NVIC, UMC Utrecht). In a life-threatening situation, call 112.

Non-urgent police: 0900-8844

For police matters that are not urgent, call 0900-8844 or chat with the police online; you pay 2 cents per minute plus your usual call costs. Use 112 if someone is in immediate danger (politie.nl).

What newcomers often notice

Thuisarts lists what people from abroad often notice about Dutch healthcare:

• The GP is your first contact, even if you would prefer to see a doctor in the hospital. The GP assesses your symptoms and refers you if needed.
• Fewer prescriptions. Doctors are less likely to prescribe antibiotics and other medication.
• No yearly health check. Dutch GPs do not recommend a yearly health check.
• Pregnancy and childbirth are considered natural events. GPs generally do not provide care during pregnancy and childbirth; midwives are medical professionals with 4 years of training.
• Directness. Dutch GPs may seem blunt; preparing your questions in writing helps.
• Nudity. You might not be offered a screen or sheet during an examination. Tell your doctor if you are uncomfortable, and you can always bring someone with you.

Making the system work for you: practical tips

1. Register with a huisarts as soon as you are settled. Thuisarts recommends registering even if you do not need a doctor right away. Look for a tandarts early too.

2. Get your BSN and health insurance first. When you register with a GP, have your BSN and insurance details at hand (Thuisarts). Take out Dutch health insurance within 4 months of arrival; the cover then applies from the day you arrived (Government.nl). See our guide to your first 30 days in the Netherlands for the full priority order. If you are comparing two of the larger insurers, see our Zilveren Kruis vs CZ comparison.

3. Expect advice before medication. For minor illnesses a wait-and-see approach is often suitable (Thuisarts). Ask about your options and warning signs if you are unsure why medication is not being prescribed.

4. Bring your medical history. At your first GP visit, bring any medical records from your home country and a list of the medicines you take (Thuisarts). Generic names, doses and what each medicine is for help the GP find the right equivalent.

5. Learn a few key Dutch words for healthcare interactions. Basic vocabulary helps during phone triage: koorts (fever), pijn (pain), misselijk (nauseous), kortademig (short of breath), duizelig (dizzy), zwanger (pregnant).

6. Understand the eigen risico before you plan your year. From age 18, you pay the first €385 of care from the basic package that falls under the eigen risico; GP care does not count (Rijksoverheid). After that, your insurer pays the costs, but personal contributions (eigen bijdragen), for example for some medicines or kraamzorg, still apply (Rijksoverheid). More on this in our health insurance coverage guide.

7. Keep your insurance details at hand. The GP practice and the huisartsenpost ask for your health insurance details, such as your insurer’s name and your policy number (Thuisarts).

8. Review your insurance every year. Insurers publish next year’s premiums and conditions before 12 November. If you take out a new policy by 31 December, the new insurer cancels the old one for you. If you cancel yourself by 31 December, you have until 1 February to take out a new policy, which then applies retroactively from 1 January (Rijksoverheid).

Choosing and comparing health insurance

If you need to revisit your insurance, or you are still setting up for the first time, these resources help:

Compare Dutch health insurance options with our Health Insurance Wizard →

Read the full insurance guide: Our Dutch health insurance guide for expats explains the basisverzekering, eigen risico, zorgtoeslag, and aanvullende verzekering in full detail.

International coverage: If you want coverage that goes beyond the Netherlands, for travel or work abroad, read our best expat insurance Netherlands overview.

Before you live or work in the Netherlands: SafetyWing sells travel medical insurance (the Essential plan) for people who live and work abroad. It works like a subscription; for ages 10 to 39 the Essential plan costs US$62.72 every 4 weeks (safetywing.com, checked 31 October 2026). It is not a substitute for Dutch basisverzekering once you live or work here; a Dutch basisverzekering taken out within 4 months of arrival is backdated to the day you arrived (Government.nl).

Get SafetyWing travel-medical cover: Essential plan from USD 62.72 per 4 weeks (ages 10–39) →

The bottom line

The Dutch system starts with your huisarts: register early, contact your GP or the huisartsenpost for urgent problems, and call 112 when a life is at risk. Expect advice before medication, a referral before a specialist, and the eigen risico on most care outside the GP.

If something is unclear, ask the clinician to explain the reasoning, the warning signs to watch for and the follow-up plan. Thuisarts encourages you to ask for the information you need.