What to do when you need health care?

What to do when you need healthcare?

Congratulations! You have arrived in one of the world’s happiest and healthiest countries. The Netherlands consistently ranks in the top ten for healthcare quality worldwide. If as an expat you need medical care, you can rest assured that you won’t have to worry about the costs, due to the excellent health insurance system. As you will find on page .., the mandatory basic insurance package (basisverzekering) covers a large number of medical services. With additional coverage you can choose to opt in to more services as you see fit. If you are on a low income, the government will fully or partially reimburse your insurance premium through the healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag).

Currently, there are three dimensions to the Dutch healthcare system: • Basic healthcare, which includes GP visits, hospital stays and a wide range of specialist procedures. • Supplementary care, including physiotherapy, dental care and cosmetic operations. • Long-term care for chronic conditions, including disability expenditures, which may be fully or partially covered by mandatory or additional insurance. This type of care is not covered in this Find Your Way Guide; your GP is the first point of contact. Also check svb.nl/en/the-wlz-scheme

First port of call: your GP

Once you have selected an insurer and health coverage package, find a general practitioner (GP, or huisarts) close to where you live. You can find them online at Ik zoek een huisarts (in Dutch), at your local municipality, or ask your neighbour or a local Facebook group for recommendations. Note that some GP practices are full, so you may have to ask around before you are accepted.

Your GP is the first point of contact whenever you have a health issue. Some doctors offer walk-in visits, but many only see patients by appointment. Some doctors also do home visits, especially for frail or elderly patients. As the gatekeeper of the medical system, only a GP can refer you to a specialist or the hospital (for non-emergency situations). Your GP will note down your medical history, so that any future healthcare professionals have the advantage of access to your latest health records.

It should be noted that expats often find Dutch GPs rather reluctant to act. ‘Take a paracetamol’ is indeed a common advice, and not without reason: prescribing antibiotics for everything is not a good idea, and most ailments disappear on their own. Still, if you are sure that something is seriously wrong, don’t hesitate to contact your GP again.

Emergencies

If there is a life-threatening situation, call 112 for an ambulance. If the situation is not life-threatening but still urgent, you will have to call your GP, who will either give you a priority slot or refer you to the emergency department if he/she thinks the situation is serious. If your GP is unavailable, you call the on-duty GP centre (huisartsenpost), which is usually inside the hospital. They will either treat you themselves or send you on to the emergency department (spoedeisende hulp, SEH). Your GP’s answering message will give you the number of the on-duty GP centre, or look it up online.

Unlike most other countries, in the Netherlands it’s not advisable go directly to the emergency department. You can do so, but you will either be referred back to the GP or you may need to wait longer to be seen. Moreover, if you visit the SEH on your own initiative, you will have to pay out of your own eigen risico (see page ..); if you visit the huisartsenpost, the visit is free.

Hospitals in the Netherlands

There are three kinds of hospitals in the Netherlands: • General hospitals deliver good care, but are not specialized and will refer you to another hospital if you have a complicated illness. • Teaching hospitals work with medical schools for training healthcare practitioners. • Academic hospitals are directly connected to the major universities. Many doctors here are also researchers and these hospitals deliver the greatest variety of specialized care.

When staying in a Dutch hospital, you are likely to share a room or ward with up to four other patients,

Revolutionary weight loss method

Newly available in the Netherlands: medical weight loss with injections

ne e l ed ne a re en l e e a a la le n e e erland e e d a een nd a e and e e e e Department of Health and its results are nothing short of revolutionary. The medicine is administered daily by the client with n n e n ned d e ar ada n and ed al er n e e d a ear ar larl e e e la l n excess weight and maintaining a healthy weight has come within the grasp of many.

Overweight in the Netherlands

Who hasn’t struggled with extra weight? Shedding the pounds is a process fraught with obstacles and many fail in their attempts to attain and keep a healthy body weight. Excess weight and obesity have become major problems in today’s society. We are liberally exposed to unhealthy food everywhere and all the time. As a result, no less than 50% of the Dutch population is now overweight. Losing weight with the use of injections appears to be the solution to the problem. The injections, it turns out, offer beautiful results, both physically and psychologically.

Weight Loss Injections

The medicine that we prescribe as part of our weight loss program works in the same way as the body’s own GLP-1 hormone, which regulates hunger and satiety sensations. The medicine thus regulates appetite: it reduces hunger pangs and makes you feel satiated. As a result, you eat less and lose weight. It is easy to self- administer by means of mini-injections. They have recently become available on the Dutch market but have already taken the United Kingdom, Denmark and the United States by storm. Based on the action of the satiety hormone, the injections help people lose weight both effectively and sustainably. The medicine is minimally invasive and participants can administer the injections independently and easily. The results of our weight loss program are absolutely revolutionary.

Groundbreaking results

The SmPC (Summary of Product Characteristics) study shows that the use of the prescription drug in combination with a lifestyle change achieves an average weight loss of 8%. These results are nothing short of groundbreaking. Notably, most of the weight loss occurred in the first months. In addition to weight loss, a decrease in abdominal circumference and glucose levels and a steep decrease in blood pressure was noted in the participants. In addition the drug lowered the risk of developing type II diabetes. SmPC studies are used by the Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB) when approving medication.

Possibility to lose weight under supervision

The Body Clinic offers their weight loss program under the supervision of doctors. Typical weight loss of the patient population at the Body Clinic ranges from per month and the treatment is in of the cases effective so far. To determine a participant’s weight loss trajectory, a consultation with a doctor is always the first stop. or any medically related issues or complications during the weight loss program the client continues to have access to his her own doctor. In addition, a nutrition coach at The Body Clinic offers primary support. However, the combination with a healthier lifestyle is crucial for success. This makes sense because a healthier lifestyle is always the first step in tackling body weight issues permanently. It should be noted that participants considered the switch to a healthier lifestyle much easier with the use of the medicine. The Body Clinic offers four weight loss programs. Prices start from €395 per month.

Testimonial Ellis

“I’ve been trying to lose my stubborn pregnancy pounds for 2 years now. When I read about losing weight with injections, I did extensive research and decided that I would make one last attempt. I am now weeks into the program, I’m down kilograms and I feel so much better in my skin. The injections really deliver on their promise: they take away your hunger pangs and make you feel full.”

Testimonial Jaap

“In my life I have been really overweight for long periods at a time. During those periods I always want to lose weight and feel more comfortable in my skin. I really enjoy my food and drink - after all life’s more fun that way. I don’t take things in moderation then. rom day one, I’ve had no side effects at all except for a dry mouth. I must admit I was a bit skeptical about the results but I’ve already managed to lose 8 kilograms. I have been feeling a bit weak and sometimes nauseous for a few weeks now. But it’s all worth it for the results people see and say that I have lost weight.”

often mixed-gender. There are special wards for children. The Netherlands also has a number of specialized children’s hospitals, with more facilities to keep the little ones entertained and help them with their school work. Children’s hospitals usually allow parents to stay overnight in the same room.

Specialist care

If you are in need of specialist, non-emergency care, you will probably be referred to a specialist working in a hospital – unlike in some other countries, specialists don’t usually have their own offi ces. In this case, you will need a referral from your GP, in order for your insurance to cover your expenses. As soon as you have your referral, you can make an appointment with the specialist your GP recommends, or look around online to fi nd out which specialist you prefer. At kiesbeter.nl (in Dutch) you can compare hospitals and their specializations, as well as private doctors, in order to fi nd one that’s best suited to your needs.

When visiting a hospital for the fi rst time, you need to register at the front desk with your contact details, the name of your GP and your insurance information. This information will then be recorded and stored in the hospital system. You will receive an electronic card (patiëntenpas) which you will have to bring with you on each visit. With this ‘medical passport’, your history can be accessed by the doctor treating you, and your bills will be sent automatically to your insurance company. If you visit the hospital for the fi rst time, you will also need to bring your GP’s referral letter and any notes s/he made.

Going to the dentist

All dentistry is private in the Netherlands, and basic insurance policies do not cover going to the dentist for a check-up or simple treatment. However, all dental care for children under 18, as well as all specialist dental care, is covered. Adults can take out additional insurance if they want their standard dental costs to be covered. All insurance companies offer dental plans under the additional coverage (aanvullende verzekering). However, check out what the plan covers and whether the coverage justifi es the extra cost, as this is often not the case. Most dentists and orthodontists operate from their own practice, often located in their homes, although more and more practices now work together with several dental specialists. The most specialized forms of dental care, such as surgery, take place at hospitals. To visit specialized dental care, you need a referral from your regular dentist.

Physiotherapy

If you’ve had an accident and need to recover, or if you suffer from chronic or acute physical problems, you may need physiotherapy. The basic health insurance package only partially covers physiotherapy, depending on your age and therapy needs. You can take out additional insurance for care that is not included in the basic insurance package. Children under 18 get their fi rst nine sessions per year reimbursed, possibly followed by another nine. Adults 18 with a chronic condition will have to pay for their fi rst 20 sessions per year, after which all physiotherapy is fully paid for.

Mental health

If you have mental health problems, you can contact your GP or, if the problem is work-related, your company doctor (bedrijfsarts). If the problem becomes too serious for you to handle on your own, your doctor can refer you to specialist care called GGZ. Going to a psychologist, therapist or counsellor for primary care (mild to moderate problems) and secondary care (serious and complex psychiatric disorders) are both covered by your insurer, but check your insurance policy to determine whether you should take out additional coverage. Waiting lists for public mental health services are long, so you might want to consider private counselling – but this is usually not covered by insurance.

Checkups for children

Children in the Netherlands do not get regular checkups with a pediatrician. Regular checkups are arranged by the consultatiebureau (JGZ), where nurses perform basis checks such a height and weight measurements, hearing and eyesight tests, check whether the child reaches developmental milestones, and offer parenting advice (which you can ignore if you don’t agree). They will also give the child the vaccinations that are part of the standard national vaccination programme, against serious illnesses such as diphteria, measles, polio, rubella, hepatitis, HPV and many more. Check rijksvaccinatieprogramma.nl/ english#vaccinations-5141 for details.

If your child is ill, your fi rst port of call is your GP, who can refer you to a specialist pediatrician if necessary.