How is healthcare organised in the Netherlands?

You are coming to the Netherlands for treatment. This page informs you how health care is organised in the Netherlands and which types of hospitals exist in the Netherlands.

How healthcare is organised

Most healthcare in the Netherlands is ‘primary healthcare and ‘secondary’ healthcare. This healthcare is covered by the European regulations that we inform you about on this website.

Primary healthcare

This is healthcare for which anyone without a referral can contact the healthcare provider. Primary healthcare includes for instance the general practitioner, the pharmacist, the dentist and the midwife. In the Dutch healthcare system the general practitioner plays a central role. He is the ‘gatekeeper’ who examines the patient and determines whether medical specialist care is needed.
Moreover, a dentist or an obstetrician may also forward the patient if they feel it is necessary. For example, if they think that more specialist care is needed in the patient’s situation. They give the patient a referral. He'll have to show it to the medical specialist at the hospital.

Secondary healthcare

This is healthcare by medical specialists in hospitals. The medical specialists provide healthcare to patients who come to consult (policlinical care) and to patients who are in hospital (clinical care).
Patients can only go to a hospital and a medical specialist if they have a referral from the general practitioner. Only for the Casualty Department no referral is required.

Referral if insured in another EU country

Do you want to receive treatment in the Netherlands according to the European Patients Directive (Directive 2011/24/EU)? The rules of your own insurance apply.

No referral required

Don't you need a referral in your own country to visit a medical specialist? You also don't have to if you come to the Netherlands for this reason. You can simply contact this doctor right away.

Referral required

Is a referral required in your own country? In that case you will also need one for treatment in the Netherlands. Would you like to be treated by a medical specialist in the Netherlands? And did you get a form S2/E112 from your health insurance company? You will always need a referral for that treatment.
See also our information on page 'Reimbursement of costs'.

Hospitals

The following types of hospitals exist in the Netherlands.

General hospitals

General hospitals provide healthcare within different departments and specialties. For instance a surgical nursing ward, a pediatric ward, a laboratory, or intensive care. The bigger the hospital, the more specialties there are.

Academic hospitals

The Netherlands has eight academic hospitals (Universitary Medical Centres). There, students of medicine are trained as doctors or medical specialists. All common specialisms are present.

Specialised hospitals

These hospitals are specialised in specific healthcare or focus on a certain category of patients. Examples include cancer centers, eye hospitals and children’s hospitals.

Independent treatment centres

These are independent (private) clinics that provide medical specialist care. This may also be healthcare that is not reimbursed from the Dutch basic package (such as some cosmetic procedures).

There are no state-owned hospitals in the Netherlands.

Last modified on 22 December 2020

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