This is how the General Practitioner works
How does the General Practitioner work?
1. First go through the questions (Do I have to go to the doctor?)
The General Practitioner is there for complaints that cannot wait until the next working day. To get the right help quickly, you can go through the questionnaire below. This way you will know immediately whether it is necessary to contact us. If the questionnaire shows that you need to contact us, you can be connected directly to the triage nurse who has your details from the questionnaire.
2. Calling the General Practitioner
Do you call the General Practitioner? In a potentially life-threatening situation, choose 1.
Have the following information ready:
- Citizen service number (BSN); This is on your identity document (passport, identity card or driver’s license) and has 9 digits
- Date of birth, address and telephone number
- The name of your GP or GP practice
On the phone, you may also be asked about:
- Your medical history (insofar as relevant to your request for help)
- Medications you may be taking
The General Practitioner can view a summary of the medical file of their own GP and an overview of your medication via the National Exchange Point (LSP), but only if you have given permission for this in advance. You can arrange this permission through www.volgjezorg.nl or directly with your own GP or pharmacy.
Are you calling for someone else? If possible, have the patient contact the General Practitioner himself. Is this not possible? Then provide all the details of the person who needs help. Also make sure you are near the patient when you call. You can then describe the symptoms as well as possible. Often the triage nurse (doctor’s assistant) also wants to ask the patient a few questions himself.
3. What can you expect?
When you call or contact via the contact request, you will get a triage nurse on the phone. A triage nurse has extensive medical knowledge and is specially trained to quickly determine how serious your symptoms are and what is needed. If necessary, this is done in consultation with the general practitioner who serves as the General Practitioner. There are the following options:
- Telephone advice: you will receive an explanation and advice by telephone from the triage nurse (this will be checked afterwards by the GP).
- Consultation: the triage nurse will make an appointment for you at the General Practitioner. There, a general practitioner, a general practitioner or nurse specialist/physician assistant will examine you.
- Telephone consultation: the triage nurse and/or GP will video call you. You will receive the link to establish the connection via a text message. This is called a video call consultation. The GP can also call you back by telephone.
- Visit: the general practitioner will visit you (with a specially equipped official car and driver). The drivers are specially trained for this work and can assist the GP in emergencies. A visit is only possible if you are unable to come to the General Practitioner for medical reasons.