The Dutch health system revolves around one figure: the huisarts, your family doctor. They are the compulsory gateway to everything else, and you do not register with one at the moment you need one. Here is how to go about it, and why it belongs in your first week.
The huisarts is the gateway to everything
Without a huisarts, there is no specialist, no scan, no prescription outside an emergency. The system is deliberately built this way: the GP filters, treats what they can, and refers only when necessary.
Two consequences for a newcomer:
- You do not choose your specialist. The huisarts writes the referral letter (verwijsbrief), without which your insurer will not reimburse.
- The approach is more watchful than you may be used to. A huisarts prescribes few antibiotics, few scans, and will often tell you to call back in a week if it has not passed. That is not neglect, it is the local medical doctrine.
Registering, and why it is urgent
In Amsterdam many practices are full (patiëntenstop). Places open up slowly, and registration is almost always geographic: a practice only takes patients from its own catchment.
The steps, in order:
- Once your address is registered with the city, look for practices in your postcode. The site zorgkaartnederland.nl lists them with reviews, and many practices state online whether they are accepting new patients.
- Call or fill in the online form. You will be asked for your BSN, your address and your insurer.
- If the practice is full, ask to go on the waiting list, and call others in parallel. Do not wait for one answer before trying the next.
- Some practices require a first registration appointment. Take it even if nothing is wrong.
Do this in the week after you move in. Hunting for a huisarts with a 39-degree fever on a Sunday evening is an experience nobody should have twice.
What basic insurance covers
Health insurance is compulsory, individual, and must be taken out within four months of registering with the city. Cover backdates to your arrival, and being late means a fine.
Basic cover (basisverzekering) includes the huisarts, hospital care, essential medicines, maternity and emergencies. It does not include the dentist beyond age eighteen, physiotherapy beyond a limited allowance, or glasses. Those sit in optional top-up cover.
An important point: the huisarts is free and does not count against the €385 annual excess. You can consult without financial hesitation. The excess does apply to tests, specialists and medicines.
How the policies compare is in our zorgverzekering guide.
Booking, and the vocabulary you need
Most practices open their phone line early in the morning for same-day appointments. A standard slot lasts ten minutes and covers one problem: if you have two, say so when you call and you will be given a double slot.
- Huisarts: family doctor.
- Assistente: the medical assistant, who screens calls and handles a great deal themselves (blood tests, dressings, advice).
- Verwijsbrief: the referral letter to a specialist.
- Recept: prescription.
- Apotheek: pharmacy. Pick one near home and register it with your practice: prescriptions are sent there directly.
- Huisartsenpost: the out-of-hours service, evenings and weekends.
English is not a problem in Amsterdam: practically every practitioner speaks it fluently.
Outside opening hours
- Evenings, nights and weekends: call the huisartsenpost for your area. You do not turn up without calling first.
- Life-threatening emergency: 112, as everywhere in Europe.
- A&E (spoedeisende hulp) in principle only takes patients sent by a doctor or arriving by ambulance. Turning up for something non-urgent means a long wait and a bill.
Dentist, physio and the rest
- Dentist (tandarts): register directly, no referral needed, though practices are often full too. Not covered by basic insurance after eighteen: budget for top-up cover or pay directly.
- Physiotherapist (fysiotherapeut): direct access, limited reimbursement without top-up cover.
- Pregnancy care: followed by a midwife (verloskundige) rather than an obstetrician unless the pregnancy is high risk. This is a strong cultural difference, and it surprises people.
- Mental health: access runs through the huisarts, who refers to a praktijkondersteuner GGZ or a psychologist. Waiting times can be long, so raise it early.
The neighbourhood matters here too
Registering with a huisarts depends on your postcode, and the density of practices varies a lot across the city. Newer, in-demand areas are often the most saturated. It is not the first criterion when choosing a home, but it is worth a glance: our neighbourhood guide gives the context for each area, and we flag it when it comes up.
