Health
A primary care physician (huisarts) is the entry to most health care, including specialists, hospital or laboratory testing. You should register with a doctor soon after you arrive. Look under Artsen-huisartsen in the Yellow Pages, or in your local city guide Stadsgids, or type in your postcode at the following link:
Make an acquaintance visit in order to give your medical history and learn about the organisation of the practice before signing on as a patient. Homeopathic and alternative health doctors are also available. Holiday/weekend/evening duties on rotation are usually available; look for the roster leaflet in the practice or in your free local evening newspaper. Nearly all specialists have consulting hours in hospitals, at the Out-patients clinic (Polikliniek). You can only be referred to a specialist by your general practitioner.
Dentist
You'll find local dentist (tandarts) in the Yellow Pages or in your local city guide Stadsgids. You' ll have to register with a dentist for annual cheks. Dentalservices are expensive and over the last 10 years many dental procedures have disappeared from the basic insurance package. Adults (18 plus) are not currently covered for annual checks, x-rays and tooth extractions. You may therefore want to take out extra, supplementary insurance.
Explanantion of the health care system
Drachten has a fully equipped hospital with 339 beds: Nijsmellinghe hospital
