How to book a doctor's appointment in Germany

As an expat in Germany, at some point you might need medical assistance. The good news is that you are in good hands because German medicine is world-known for its quality and accessibility. In this article we talk about how to find a suitable medical practitioner and book a doctor’s appointment in Germany. We also share some online tools for expats seeking medical help there and even offer a pro tip on how to help your family back home in case of emergency.

Before scheduling an appointment

Before booking a doctor’s appointment in Germany, it is mandatory for any resident to have medical insurance covering hospital and outpatient treatment. This requirement has been in place since 2009. You will have to present your insurance card upon your first visit to a surgery.

A family doctor in Germany, as in many other countries, is the first point of contact with the healthcare system. German residents are free to choose their general practitioners, gynaecologists, paediatricians, and some other specialists. However, to book an appointment with some specialists such as radiologists and oncologists, a doctor’s referral is needed.

Patients are not obliged to enrol with a particular office and can change their medical professional if needed. The choice of doctors in Germany does not depend on location. It should be kept in mind, however, that some practices only treat patients from nearby localities. On the other hand, there are surgeries that offer online doctor’s appointments in Germany meaning that the consultation is done remotely, usually as a videocall. The availability of such service should be checked with the office.

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How to find a doctor in Germany

There are several ways to search for doctors in Germany.

• Your social circle. Ask your colleagues and friends for recommendations.
• Online expat groups and forums can offer valuable advice on how to book a doctor’s appointment in Germany, especially in large cities.
• Your insurance company may provide a list of recommended practitioners (but only those who accept their insurance).
• Google Maps search for nearby surgeries can be an effective first step to booking a doctor’s appointment online in Germany.
• The Ministry of Health offers a search feature on its website while two national associations – of statutory health insurance physicians (KBV) and of statutory health insurance dentists (KZBV) – also have separate search systems on their websites.
• Regional professional bodies’ websites, such as Landesärztekammer in Bavaria, would offer search tools for medical practitioners in the respective region.
• PBV, the German Federal association of private doctors, has a search feature for private clinics and doctors in Germany.
• Dedicated platforms such as Zava, Doctena, or Jameda allow users to look for medical practitioners and even book doctor’s appointments online in Germany (some of them are also available in other countries).
• Your GP can provide a recommendation if you need a consultation from a specialist doctor such as an oncologist.

In most cases, you need at least some knowledge of German to effectively express your concerns, but there are some shortcuts for those who prefer to communicate in English.

• The most obvious choice is again to ask your English-speaking friends or online expat communities for recommendations.
• KBV applies filters to search for English-speaking specialist doctors on this page and one of the largest healthcare funds, Die Techniker (TK), does the same here.
• The list compiled by the U.S. Embassy covers medical practices where English is spoken in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Bavaria/Munich. And those wondering how to find a doctor in Germany’s other regions may consult a list put together by the Irish Embassy.
• If you are interested in visiting a specific nearby office, then call the reception directly to inquire whether they provide English-speaking service.

Check where you can study the language in our blog: top German language schools in Germany; learning German in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich.

How to book a doctor’s appointment in Germany

Most medical offices are open between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm on working days. Booking a doctor’s appointment in Germany is a must in most cases, but many surgeries also have walk-in hours for emergency cases (it is still better to call the reception ahead for availability, though). Overall, it is rather easy to book a doctor’s appointment in Germany. It can be done by phone, especially if you speak some German or have someone German speaking who can communicate on your behalf.

There are also several options for an online doctor’s appointment.

• The medical office’s website if such an option is available.
• eTerminservice provided by KBV allows patients to book a doctor’s appointment online in Germany, including with specialists from a range of disciplines.
• Dedicated platforms mentioned earlier, such as Jameda or Doctolib, have booking features for partner medical practices and practitioners, including for online doctor’s appointments in Germany.

A follow-up appointment can be booked at the surgery’s reception immediately after the visit, although the waiting times may vary from several days to months.

Emergencies

In case of a life-threatening situation, like a heart attack, or a threat of permanent injury, for example, from severe burns, the number to call in Germany – and anywhere else in Europe, for that matter – is 112. If you are lucky, there might even be an English-speaking operator available.

For all other emergency cases when there is no immediate threat to life, there are two options. The first is to go to an emergency department in the nearest hospital. Visit Patienten-Navi, a patient navigation portal for further steps. Keep in mind, however, that there is no English-language version available. The other option is to call 116117, which is the 24/7 medical on-call service operated by KBV (again, only in German). Although not a common practice, in some cases, an emergency home visit by the doctor can be arranged.

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