How to See a Doctor in Germany: Hausarzt, Facharzt, 116117 and Emergency Care

Germany has strong hospital care, but making an ordinary doctor’s appointment often takes patience: GPs and specialists may have full practices, and the nearest available appointment may be weeks or months away. After moving, it is therefore important to understand in advance who a Hausarzt is, when you need a Facharzt, whom to call with acute symptoms and how 116117 differs from 112.

How first contact with healthcare works

The system usually operates on two levels:

Hausarzt — a family doctor or GP, the first point of contact for most complaints.
Facharzt — a specialist, such as a cardiologist, neurologist, urologist, dermatologist or other doctor in a particular field.

For someone who has recently moved, the main practical task is finding a Hausarzt in their area. Many practices limit new patients, so it is better not to wait until you are ill. Call several Praxis in advance and ask: Ich bin neu hier, nehmen Sie neue Patienten an? — I have recently moved here; are you accepting new patients?

If a practice is ready to accept a new patient, it makes sense to arrange an initial appointment or preventive check-up. After that, it is easier to turn to the practice for a sick note, prescription, basic diagnostics and a specialist referral.

Which doctors you can often see directly

The rules depend on your insurance, region, particular practice and chosen model of care. In practice, however, patients often book directly with:

Zahnarzt — dentist;
Frauenarzt — gynaecologist;
Hautarzt — dermatologist.

Even if a referral is not required, a practice may not accept new patients or may offer only distant appointment dates. It is therefore useful to keep contact details for several doctors and clarify appointment conditions in advance.

When you may need a referral

For many specialists and diagnostic procedures, you may need an Überweisung — a referral from your Hausarzt or another doctor. This is especially common for radiology, complex diagnostics, some specialised fields and cases where treatment must be covered through a gesetzliche Krankenkasse.

Do not treat the list of specialists as universal: requirements can differ between practices and Krankenkassen. When booking, ask directly: Brauche ich eine Überweisung? — do I need a referral? If so, ask whether you can book the appointment first and bring the referral later.

What to do after moving

To avoid looking for a doctor at the last moment, build a basic healthcare network in advance:

Find a Hausarzt near home or work.
Book a preventive check-up with a dentist.
If you are a woman, find a Frauenarzt.
If you have children, look for a Kinderarzt early, because paediatric practices are often overloaded too.
If you have a chronic condition, find out which Fachärzte accept new patients and which documents are needed for the first visit.

Bring your insurance card, medication list, discharge letters and examination results, if available, to the first appointment. It is best to have Russian documents translated in advance, at least into a short German summary covering diagnosis, operations, allergies and long-term medication.

Acute symptoms: where to go

If your condition is unpleasant but does not appear life-threatening, start with your Hausarzt’s practice or the relevant specialist. In conversation, use the phrases akute Beschwerden or akute Symptome: this makes clear that you are not asking for a routine check-up.

If the usual practice is closed or the appointment is too far away, there are several options:

116117 — the Patientenservice and out-of-hours medical service for urgent but non-life-threatening situations. It helps with on-call care, finding open Bereitschaftspraxen and, for those with statutory insurance, getting an appointment with a doctor or psychotherapist.
Krankenkasse — some insurers help find a doctor or explain which options are available under your plan.
Notfallaufnahme — a hospital emergency department for acute cases when you cannot wait for a regular appointment.

Important: a Notfallaufnahme does not replace a regular practice for planned concerns. If the situation is not urgent, the wait at the hospital may be long and you may be directed back to outpatient care.

116117 or 112: how not to confuse them

In Germany, 112 is used for life-threatening situations and severe emergencies: suspected heart attack or stroke, serious injury, loss of consciousness, severe breathing problems, heavy bleeding and similar situations.

116117 is suitable when medical help is needed outside normal practice hours but the condition does not appear life-threatening. For example, a high fever, sharp pain or worsening health may need a prompt assessment, but the choice between 116117, a Bereitschaftspraxis and 112 depends on the symptoms.

If there is any doubt that the condition may be life-threatening, call 112. If the uncertainty is about the right route for a non-emergency but urgent problem, 116117 can help choose the next step.

Booking doctors online

In large and medium-sized cities, some doctors are available through online services. It is useful to check several options:

Online booking is convenient because you can filter doctors by speciality, area and sometimes languages. But not all practices use these platforms. In small towns, it is often quicker to call directly or visit a Praxis in person and ask for an appointment.

Sick notes and prescriptions online

Telemedicine is used in Germany for some complaints that can be assessed remotely. For example, services such as TeleClinic offer online consultations, electronic prescriptions and sick notes where medically appropriate.

Before a consultation, check the conditions: whether the service accepts your insurance, whether your complaint is suitable for an online format and how you will receive an eAU or prescription. Not all symptoms can be assessed safely remotely; with severe pain, injury, shortness of breath, neurological symptoms or sudden deterioration, seek in-person care instead.

What the gesetzliche Krankenkasse usually covers

If you are insured in the statutory system, medically necessary treatment is usually covered through the gesetzliche Krankenkasse. There may still be co-payments: for many prescription medicines, adult patients usually pay the legally set Zuzahlung. A common framework is 10% of the price, with a minimum of €5 and a maximum of €10, but no more than the medicine’s actual cost; exemptions and exceptions are possible.

Prescriptions in Germany often vary in colour and format, but for a patient the more important question is not the colour of the paper: is the medication covered by insurance, and is a co-payment required? If in doubt, ask your doctor, pharmacy or Krankenkasse.

How to reduce waiting times

Waiting lists for a Facharzt can be long, so an advance-planning strategy helps:

book needed specialists as soon as there is a medical reason;
ask the Praxis to put you on a waiting list for cancellations;
after a follow-up appointment, book the next Termin immediately if your doctor recommends monitoring;
keep all future appointments and prescription dates in your calendar;
keep discharge letters, test results and referrals in one place.

With serious diagnoses, surgery or doubts about a treatment plan, you can discuss a second opinion. This is not a conflict with your doctor; it is a normal part of medical decision-making.

If you are a medical professional

Germany does have a sustained need for healthcare staff, especially in care, hospitals, rehabilitation and geriatric care. But moving as a doctor, nurse or care specialist cannot be reduced to the phrase “employers are waiting for everyone”. Regulated professions require recognition of qualifications, German language skills and documents; for doctors, the route to Approbation or Berufserlaubnis is through the competent authority of the federal state.

For 2026, a safe strategy is:

Determine whether your profession is regulated in Germany.
Check the diploma-recognition requirements in the specific federal state.
Prepare translations, proof of experience, language certificates and official records.
Do not sign an employment contract until you understand which right to work and professional licence you need.
Verify intermediaries’ promises using official sources and with the prospective employer.

For students, medicine remains a prestigious and competitive field. Admission depends on the programme, language, recognition of previous education and the requirements of the particular university. Claims such as “guaranteed employment” are best treated as marketing simplification: demand for specialists is high, but a career path still depends on qualifications, language, professional authorisation and region.

Short checklist

Find a Hausarzt before your first serious illness.
Clarify whether you need an Überweisung when booking.
Use 116117 for urgent but non-life-threatening situations.
Call 112 when life is at risk.
Check online booking through 116117, Doctolib, Jameda and Arzttermine.de.
Keep medical documents and your medication list in German or English.
For medical work in Germany, check qualification-recognition requirements only through official sources.