Visiting a German Doctor (Hausarzt), Apotheke & Krankmeldung Guide

Getting sick in a new country is stressful enough without struggling to explain a fever or figure out how sick leave reaches your HR department. Once you understand Germany’s three-part healthcare workflow — Hausarzt (GP), eAU (electronic sick note), and Apotheke with E-Rezept — doctor visits become straightforward and predictable.

Note: This is a language-learning and practical overview, not medical or legal advice. For medical emergencies in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, dial 112 immediately; for non-emergency out-of-hours medical care in Germany, dial 116 117 (Austria 1450 / 141). Check rules with your doctor, Krankenkasse, or HR team.

1. Hausarzt, Facharzt & Emergency Numbers

In Germany, your Hausarzt / Hausärztin (general practitioner / internal medicine GP) is your first point of contact (die Hausarztpraxis). Many clinics still ask new patients whether they accept Neupatienten (new patients), so calling ahead or booking online via Doctolib or 116117.de saves wasted trips.

• Offene Sprechstunde / Akutsprechstunde: Morning walk-in or same-day slots reserved for sudden fevers, infections, or acute pain (akute Beschwerden).
• Terminsprechstunde: Scheduled appointments for checkups, blood tests (Blutabnahme), or follow-ups.
• Die Überweisung: A referral slip from your Hausarzt to a specialist (Facharzt, e.g. HNO-Arzt / ENT, Augenarzt / ophthalmologist, Orthopäde). Note that gynecologists (Frauenärztin) and dentists (Zahnarzt) can be booked directly without a referral.
• Emergency vs. On-Call: Dial 112 for ambulances/life-threatening emergencies; dial 116 117 for the Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst (evening/weekend non-life-threatening care).

2. Explaining Symptoms Clearly in German

German symptom phrases combine two essential grammar structures: Dative body expressions (Mir ist…, Mir tut … weh) and compound nouns ending in -schmerzen. Review our Dative Case guide and practice clear consonant pronunciation with our Pronunciation Checker.

Watch out for the classic Mir ist mistake: Saying Ich bin kalt or Ich bin schlecht means “I am a cold/bad person.” Always use the Dative pronoun: Mir ist kalt (I feel cold) and Mir ist übel (I feel nauseous).

3. Krankmeldung, Vacation Illness & the eAU Rule (§ 5 EFZG)

If you wake up too sick to work, follow two separate obligations under § 5 Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz (EFZG):

1. Notify your employer immediately (unverzüglich): Message or call HR/your manager before your shift starts (Ich muss mich heute leider krankmelden).
2. Submit your doctor’s certificate (Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung, AU): By law, a medical certificate is required if illness lasts more than three calendar days (meaning day 4), unless your employment contract requires one from day 1 (ab dem ersten Tag).
   • GKV (publicly insured) employees: Your doctor transmits the eAU digitally to your Krankenkasse, and your employer retrieves the dates directly — simply tell HR the dates you are certified sick (voraussichtlich bis einschließlich Freitag).
   • PKV (privately insured) employees & students: You still receive paper printouts to submit yourself.
3. Falling sick during paid vacation (Urlaub): Under German labor law (§ 9 BUrlG), if you fall genuinely ill during approved annual leave and obtain a doctor’s Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung from day one of the illness, those sick days are credited back to your vacation balance rather than lost!

Also remember the grammar of appointment calls (Terminvereinbarung): doctors’ receptionists often use clear polite imperatives (Kommen Sie bitte um 10 Uhr vorbei, Bringen Sie Ihre Karte mit). Review our Imperative Mood guide and Reflexive Verbs guide (sich krankmelden, sich erkälten, sich ausruhen) so instructions on the phone never catch you off guard.

4. At the Apotheke: E-Rezept, OTC & Notdienst

Unlike North American or UK drugstores (Drogeriemarkt like dm or Rossmann), German supermarkets cannot sell ibuprofen, cough syrups with active ingredients, or nasal sprays. Look for the glowing red A of die Apotheke!

• Das E-Rezept: Statutory patients simply hand over their elektronische Gesundheitskarte (eGK) at the pharmacy counter; the pharmacist scans the card to pull down the doctor’s digital prescription.
• Rezeptpflichtig vs. rezeptfrei: Prescription-only vs. over-the-counter (OTC — you can ask Haben Sie etwas Rezeptfreies gegen Halsschmerzen?).
• Die Zuzahlung: For statutory prescriptions in 2026, adults pay 10% of the medication price (min €5, max €10 per pack — note enacted GKV reforms raise this band to €7.50–€15 starting January 2027). Children under 18 pay €0.
• Der Apotheken-Notdienst: Need medicine at 2 a.m. or on Sunday? Every neighborhood Apotheke displays a rotating schedule on its front door showing which nearby pharmacy is on overnight emergency duty (Notdienst).

5. Healthcare & Pharmacies Across Germany, Austria & Switzerland

6. Practice Medical German Offline

Before your first clinic visit, verify tricky medical noun genders in our Der, Die, Das Checker and practice verb conjugations like verschreiben, messen, and einnehmen in the German Verb Conjugator. Inside the GermanLogic Android app, tutor Hannah guides you through body, health, and everyday dialogue lessons offline with de-DE device audio and spaced-repetition flashcards — or start with our 15-Minute CEFR Placement Test to check your current level.