Visiting a doctor in a new country may seem complicated at first, but in Germany the system is clearly regulated:
112 is the emergency number for life-threatening situations, while 116117 is the patient service number for acute but non-life-threatening problems, as well as for finding a doctor and making appointments. This means that medical assistance is always available – both in emergencies and for planned treatments.
Emergency or on-call service – contact person
In the event of immediate danger to life (e.g., serious accidents, breathing difficulties, chest pain), please dial 112. For urgent but non-life-threatening complaints—especially outside of office hours – 116117 offers support: They will carry out an initial assessment, provide information about open emergency practices, and arrange appointments if necessary.
Find a doctor and make an appointment
The official doctor search function of the patient service 116117 is available for planned treatments. The search function can be filtered by specialty, location, and, if necessary, by foreign languages—useful, for example, when searching for English-speaking practices. Many practices are also connected to the online appointment service, through which appointments can be booked directly.
Prescriptions & Pharmacy – how Medication Supply Works
After a medical examination, prescriptions for prescription drugs will be issued if necessary. Insured persons with a statutory health insurance card usually receive an e-prescription that can be redeemed digitally at the pharmacy.
However, IHCC policyholders are issued a paper prescription – usually on a pink or blue form, depending on the medication and cost bearer. This can be redeemed at any pharmacy in Germany. To obtain the medication, the prescription and an ID document must be presented.
Process: From symptom to treatment
Assessment:
Life-threatening → 112
Acute, but not life-threatening, and doctor’s office closed → 116117 (phone, website, or app) for an initial assessment and addresses of open emergency clinics.
Find a practice and make an appointment:
Use the doctor search function to select a suitable practice – if available, make an appointment online. If necessary, you can filter by foreign languages.
Documents required for the appointment:
Please have your proof of insurance (e.g., IHCC policy) and your ID ready – additional documents will be requested by the doctor’s office if necessary.
Redeeming a prescription:
Depending on the type of insurance, prescriptions can be redeemed digitally via an e-prescription (for those with statutory insurance) or with a paper prescription (e.g., for those insured with IHCC) at any pharmacy.
Keep and submit receipts:
Keep all invoices and receipts and submit them digitally to IHCC – reimbursement will be made in accordance with the tariff conditions.
Conclusion
In Germany, there are two central telephone numbers for emergencies and acute complaints: 112 and 116117. Using the official doctor search function, you can find suitable practices – often offering services in foreign languages – and make appointments online. Prescriptions are issued in paper form and can be redeemed at any pharmacy.
IHCC health insurance offers additional protection against unexpected costs. Find out more about our suitable tariffs here.
