Finding a Doctor in Germany

You need a Hausarzt (family doctor) as first contact for most issues. Specialists often require a referral (Überweisung). Finding English-speaking doctors is possible but harder outside big cities.

The German system works through a Hausarzt who handles common issues and refers you to specialists when needed. You are not required to have one, but it makes everything easier. Your Hausarzt knows your history and coordinates your care.

For mandatory insurance and your card, see Health Insurance in Germany. For full detail on 112, 110, and 116 117, see Emergency Services in Germany.

Your GP and specialists

Hausarzt (also Allgemeinmediziner, general practitioner) is your first contact for most health issues. They treat common illnesses, write prescriptions, issue sick notes (Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung), and refer you to specialists when needed.

A Facharzt is a specialist. Common types include:

• Internist — internal medicine
• Kardiologe — heart
• Orthopäde — bones, joints, and back
• Dermatologe — skin
• HNO-Arzt — ear, nose, and throat
• Augenarzt — eyes
• Frauenarzt — women’s health
• Urologe — urinary and prostate issues
• Neurologe — nervous system
• Psychiater — mental health

You usually need an Überweisung from your Hausarzt to see a specialist. Dermatologists and gynecologists (Frauenärzte) typically do not require a referral. Some specialists accept patients without one, but waiting times are often longer.

Emergency and urgent care

112 is for any situation where someone could be seriously harmed if help does not arrive quickly: cardiac arrest, unconsciousness, stroke symptoms, severe bleeding, serious accidents, fire, or any case where you genuinely are not sure. 112 also dispatches the fire brigade. When in doubt, call. Do not try to judge severity alone. A Notarzt (emergency doctor) may travel with the ambulance for life-threatening cases.

110 is the police: crime in progress, threats, or when you specifically need police. Call whichever number fits the situation. Dispatch centres coordinate the rest. You do not need to call both.

116 117 is the out-of-hours medical service for urgent but non-emergency issues: high fever, acute pain, or sudden worsening of a condition. It runs 24/7, including weekends and holidays, and can send a doctor to your home or direct you to the nearest out-of-hours clinic (Bereitschaftspraxis).

For urgent but not life-threatening issues when your practice is closed, call 116 117 (Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst). For serious emergencies, go to hospital Notaufnahme (emergency department), but expect long waits if your case is not acute. For life-threatening situations, call 112.

Finding doctors and booking appointments

Finding a doctor who accepts new patients (Neupatienten) can be hard, especially in cities. Many practices are full. Call several practices and be persistent. Once you find one, register as a patient. You can switch later if needed.

English-speaking doctors: search on jameda.de with the language filter, or ask in expat forums and Facebook groups. Your embassy may publish lists. International clinics in major cities often have multilingual staff. Younger doctors frequently speak English, so ask when you call. Outside major cities, options are limited.

Appointments: for a Hausarzt, you can often get a slot within a couple of weeks, and same-day slots exist for urgent issues. Specialists often take weeks or months. If the wait is too long, call 116 117 to reach the Terminservicestelle. Under current rules it must offer a specialist appointment within four weeks, though it may not be the closest location.

Doctolib: convenient but not neutral

Doctolib is widely used for booking but is not a neutral tool. In March 2026, ZDF Magazin Royale covered its business model in an episode titled Moneymaxxing auf Rezept (worth watching if you use the platform regularly).

Main points to know:

• Doctolib is primarily a data company. When a practice uses it, patient data (visit reasons, insurance details) can sit on commercial third-party servers, including for patients who never booked online if the practice entered data manually.
• In early 2025 Doctolib tried to use patient data to train AI models on an opt-out basis. The Hamburg data protection authority opened an investigation.
• Statutory patients often wait roughly twice as long as privately insured patients for appointments via the platform.
• IT security researcher Mike Kuketz documents technical detail at kuketz-blog.de.

None of this means you must avoid Doctolib. It is genuinely convenient. But know what you share. Under GDPR Art. 17 you can request deletion of your data from Doctolib directly.

HZV and paid fast-track models

Many insurers offer voluntary Hausarztzentrierte Versorgung (HZV), anchored in §73b SGB V. You commit to seeing your registered Hausarzt first before most specialists. In return the insurer may offer lower copayments, premium discounts, or shorter specialist waits. The commitment usually lasts at least one year.

You can still go directly to a gynaecologist, eye doctor, or paediatrician without a referral, and you can always seek care in an emergency.

Patient advocates criticise HZV because bypassing your Hausarzt often has little consequence, while the 12-month lock-in limits free choice of physician (freie Arztwahl). Leaving early usually requires proving a sustained disturbance of the doctor-patient relationship. The Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband has warned the model can create bottlenecks rather than fix access. Whether benefits outweigh restrictions depends on whether you already trust one Hausarzt.

Separate from HZV, some private practices run a concierge model: a monthly fee buys same-day slots, longer visits, and direct phone access. These sit outside the public insurance system and are legal only for practices without a statutory contract (KV-Vertrag).

A Vertragsarzt (contracted to treat GKV patients) cannot legally charge statutory patients extra for faster appointments. Landgericht Düsseldorf ruled this unlawful in 2024 after a case by Verbraucherzentrale NRW. If a doctor at a GKV practice asks you to pay for an earlier slot, you can refuse and report it to the regional physicians’ association (Kassenärztliche Vereinigung).

Public and private insurance at the practice

If you are gesetzlich versichert (statutory/public), most doctors will accept you. Look for Kassenzulassung, meaning the practice is licensed to bill public insurance.

If you are privat versichert (private), you often get faster appointments and access to more doctors. Some practices prefer private patients, so as a public patient, confirming Kassenzulassung before you register saves frustration.

Register with a Hausarzt

1. Search for Hausarzt near your home (maps, jameda.de, insurer directory, or local recommendations).
2. Call practices and ask if they accept Neupatienten.
3. Book a first appointment (may take a few weeks).
4. Bring your Versichertenkarte (health insurance card), ID, and vaccination record if you have one.
5. Complete registration paperwork on the first visit. The practice becomes your regular Hausarzt.

Useful links

• Emergency Services in Germany (112, 110, 116 117)
• Health Insurance in Germany
• jameda.de (doctor search, language filter)
• 116117.de (medical on-call service)