Healthcare in the Netherlands

The European emergency number is 112. Please note that this number is for life-threatening emergencies only. Inappropriate use of this number will result in a considerable fine. In case of emergency you can go to an hospital without notification, generally there is an emergency entrance where you need to explain what happened. The nearest hospital from Wageningen is in Ede and can be reached by bus 303 from Wageningen Bus station. Please note that it’s not allowed to visit the hospital without an appointment unless it is an emergency.

If it’s not an emergency, in the Netherlands the first person to go to with physiological medical issues is the general practitioner (GP, in Dutch 'huisarts'). If the GP decides that they cannot help you directly, they write a referral to a specialists. You cannot contact specialists directly. If you are given a prescription, you need to collect the medicine from one of the pharmacies (in Dutch ‘apotheek’) in Wageningen.

You can choose any available GP in the municipality where you live and register there. You can still change GP anytime you want.

Students who are enrolled at the WUR and who are resident in Wageningen or Bennekom can register at the Student Medical Center of Wageningen. You only have to register when you need medical care and several doctors are available, and you can state your doctor preference at each appointment (i.e. if you feel more comfortable seeing a female doctor).

After registration you can make an appointment by going at the reception or by phone.
Call: 0317 466600 between 8.00–10.00 or 11.00–12.30 hrs or 14.00-16.30.

Appointments for patients are normally scheduled for 10 minutes. The assistant will ask you the reason for consultation. If you don’t feel comfortable talking about it in public, you can request to move to another room. This is necessary in order to determine the urgency. It is also possible that the assistant will give you a medical advice without booking an appointment. Indicate if you may need more time to explain your medical condition or if you want to discuss other health concerns.

If you need to cancel an appointment, you are kindly requested to give 24 hours notice before the appointment otherwise you can be charged for the appointment. 

For more informations about the healthcare system in the Netherlands: Click here!