Outpatient (ambulatory) care is provided by a medical practitioner without a patient’s hospitalization. Many types of outpatient care services are included in State-paid health care services.
What is outpatient care?
Outpatient (ambulatory) care is provided by a medical practitioner without a patient’s hospitalisation. A patient makes an appointment with a doctor and then comes to a designated place (clinic or hospital) at a specified time.
Many types of outpatient care are included in State-paid health care services, such as:
- preventive examinations provided by a general practitioner
- laboratory testing (with referral): e.g., blood tests
- diagnostic examinations (with referral): e.g., ultrasound
- consultations by specialist doctors, etc.
In order to receive State-funded outpatient care (consultations with specialists, diagnostic examinations, etc.), you should first contact a general practitioner (family doctor) and receive a referral. Your general practitioner will decide the type of referral that you need and will explain details about it, the expiry date, etc.
Direct access specialists
There are several specialist doctors to whom you may turn without a referral from a general practitioner.
example Gynaecologists, ophthalmologists, paediatricians, psychiatrists and child psychiatrists, etc. are direct access specialists.
Priority outpatient care
Some health care services are provided quickly for specific patient groups on a priority basis.
example Health care services for pregnant women and for children should be provided on a priority basis.
example For patients with (suspected) oncological or cardiovascular diseases, a consultation by a doctor or a diagnostic examination must be provided in due time (within the time period specified by the law).
Read about inpatient care as well in this Guide.