Preparation and appointment scheduling

You want to go to the doctor.

First you have to decide on a practice. Then you need to make an appointment at the practice. You can do this by calling the doctor’s surgery. Or you can make an appointment directly on site.

You can work with the staff to find a suitable date. A good practice will take your personal situation into account. Your working hours will also be taken into account.

Every doctor’s surgery has its own opening hours. You can only make appointments during opening hours.

It is important that you remember the appointment. For example, you can write the appointment down. You can also ask someone to write down the appointment for you.

Always be punctual at the doctor’s. Only then can you be sure that you will get your appointment. Also allow for a waiting time when you go to the doctor.

You may not be able to keep an appointment yourself. In this case, let the doctor know in good time. You can then make a new appointment.

If you have statutory health insurance and cannot get an appointment with a specialist, you can contact the appointment service centres of the Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians.

These centres are obliged to arrange an appointment with a general practitioner, specialist or psychotherapist within a certain period of time and within a reasonable distance.

Patients must wait a maximum of four weeks for this appointment.

You can reach the appointment service centre by calling 1 1 6 1 1 7 or online or via the 116117 app.

Prepare yourself for a doctor’s appointment. You will then be better able to answer the doctor’s questions. Think about answers to these questions:

How do you feel? Where do you have pain?

What symptoms do you have? A symptom is a sign of illness or injury. You can see or feel it. Another word for it is complaint.

What questions do you have for the doctor?

What medication are you taking? Do you not tolerate certain medications?

Have you seen a doctor recently? Which doctor have you seen?

Perhaps you feel unsure about seeing a doctor. Or you can only speak and understand a little German. Then you can take an adult with you to the doctor. This person will accompany you and can help you.

If you want to bring someone with you, let the practice know.

You should take a few things with you to the doctor. Your health card is particularly important. Some people also call it a health insurance card.

You may also have other documents that you can bring with you. These are for example

A referral
Documents relating to illnesses that you already have. Or that you once had.
Your vaccination record
Your allergy passport
X-ray images
A list of all the medication you are taking. This also includes dietary supplements. And other herbal and non-herbal remedies.

If you need a doctor at the weekend, you can call the medical on-call service. The telephone number is 1 1 6 1 1 7.

In an emergency, go to hospital. Or you can call the emergency doctor. The number is 1 1 2.

The hospital will also help you if you need a doctor at night.