In the Netherlands, the general practitioner is your main contact for everything related to your health. Whether you have a minor complaint or advice: If you live in the Netherlands, the general practitioner plays an essential role in your health care. The general practitioner is the first person you approach with medical questions or problems. He or she is a specialist who can treat most common complaints.

Should your medical situation require it, your general practitioner can prescribe medication or refer you to a hospital, specialist or diagnostic center. Statistics show that 9 out of 10 complaints can be treated by the general practitioner, while only 1 out of 10 people needs to be referred to another health care provider. Sometimes a hospital or specialist can even refer you to an even more specialized health care provider. It is important to know that you cannot go directly to a specialist or to the hospital without a referral from your primary care physician unless it is a life-threatening situation.

Care in the Netherlands: Three Levels of Care

Health care in the Netherlands is divided into three different levels:

1. Primary Care (Primary Care): The general practitioner is the main point of contact in this level, but other health care providers such as physical therapists, dentists and midwives also fall under primary care. Diagnostic tests, such as blood or urine tests, are often performed in the general practice itself or you are referred to a specialized diagnostic center.
2. Second-line care (Secondary Care): This level includes most hospitals, medical specialists and related tests and treatments.
3. Third-line care (Tertiary Care): This refers to specialized (often academic) hospitals, for example for treatments such as oncology or complex burns.
   
   

Cost and Health Insurance
Curious about how the cost of care is covered in the Netherlands? Coverage for these three levels of care depends on your health insurance policy. Make sure you are well informed about what care is and is not covered.

When don’t you need a referral?
There are a number of health care providers you can visit without a referral from your doctor, such as the physical therapist, dentist and midwife. Whether the cost of this care is covered depends on your health insurance. If you do not have coverage, you are responsible for payment yourself.

If your primary care physician refers you to another health care provider, that health care provider will always report their findings back to the primary care physician. This way, your family doctor keeps an overview of your care and your medical record remains well kept and confidential. You always have the right to see your file.

Why you should register with a general practitioner
It’s a good idea to register with a general practitioner in your area as soon as possible once you live in the Netherlands. Your general practitioner is the central person in your care and will help you access the healthcare system when needed