All you need to know about going to a hospital in Germany, whether for a regular checkup, urgent care, or specialist treatment. Germany has a world-class healthcare system and some of the world’s finest medical facilities, which is good news for international transplants. There are now slightly under 2,000 hospitals in Germany, split evenly between the public sector, the commercial sector, and the voluntary sector. However, there is no shortage of choices when it comes to medical treatment in Germany.
Germany’s COVID-19
During the COVID-19 epidemic, life has been challenging for everyone. Distant from friends and family back home, many ex-pats find themselves lonely and homesick. It can be frustrating as a visitor to a foreign country to seek out information on the prevalence of coronavirus infections, local precautions and restrictions, and the availability of vaccines.
Visit the German government website, Zusammen Gegen Corona, for more information on coronaviruses and vaccinations in the country. Our COVID-19 in Germany guide is your resource for learning about the lawful precautions, guidelines, and limits in place for this year’s outbreak.
German medical facilities
There are three distinct categories of hospitals in Germany: public (ffentliche Krankenhäuser), private (Privatkrankenhäuser), and not-for-profit (Frei gemeinnützige Krankenhäuser). Both public and university hospitals are supported by federal, state, and municipal governments. General medical treatment is available in public hospitals, and they are better prepared for medical crises. Nevertheless, customers might have to wait a bit longer for service. In contrast, private hospitals tend to be smaller, more specialised, and have lower wait times.
Meanwhile, religious institutions and charity organisations like the German Red Cross run hospitals that provide care at no cost to patients. As a whole, the German healthcare system has 4.6 doctors for every 1,000 patients. Hospitalizations in Germany tend to last slightly longer than those in other developed nations. If you’re giving birth, for instance, you can stay for up to five days, while in the United States the average is two or three.
Germany’s high hospital bills
Most of your medical expenses at a hospital will be covered by your insurer if you have private coverage. The catch is that you’ll probably have to front the cash and get paid later. If you have health insurance, the hospital will likely bill your insurance company directly for your care. Note that if you want optional extras like internet or television, you will have to pay for them out of pocket. However, some private insurance policies do include these services. You should double-check the specifics of your strategy, though, just to be safe.
Hospitalization insurance
Statutory health insurance will pay for your hospital stay up to a maximum of 28 days per year; however, you will be responsible for paying €10 each day after that. The price applies only to those adults, though, and not minors.
Germany’s hospital patients being released
If you want to leave the hospital sooner than your scheduled discharge date, you may usually do it on your own. There are, however, two notable exceptions to this rule: individuals with infectious diseases and people who have just undergone surgery. Importantly, if you choose to a self-discharge, you’ll need to sign a statement indicating that you understand and agree to assume all responsibility for your own safety. The majority of the time, though, your doctor will discuss your release with you a few days before you leave.
Daily releases are more common in the mornings and middays. A discharge letter is what you’ll get when it’s time to leave the hospital. Information such as your name, address, phone number, and email address, as well as any relevant medical notes and doctor’s contact information, will be included. Plus, a few weeks following your hospital stay, you’ll receive a more in-depth letter in the mail. Your primary care physician will see you for follow-up appointments and continue to prescribe medication as directed by the treatment plan after you are discharged from the hospital. It’s good to know that Germans have a habit of leaving tokens of gratitude for hospital staff when they check out. The contents of the basket might be anything from food to flowers to cash.