How healthcare works: the Hausarzt and your health card
Your first point of contact in Germany is the Hausarzt — a GP/family doctor who treats everyday problems and acts as a gatekeeper, referring you on when needed. To be seen you present your elektronische Gesundheitskarte (eGK), the electronic health card your Krankenkasse (statutory insurer) issues once you're covered — it proves your insurance at the doctor, hospital and pharmacy. So the order is: get insured first, then pick a doctor. If you haven't sorted cover yet, start with the health insurance guide.
How to find and "register" with a Hausarzt
There is no formal registration with a GP as in some countries — you simply choose a Hausarzt and become their patient. To find one (including English-speaking doctors), use the official 116117 search or your insurer's directory. Appointments with a Hausarzt, paediatrician, eye doctor or gynaecologist don't need a referral — you can book them directly. It's worth settling on a regular Hausarzt early, before you actually need one.
Booking an appointment: the official 116117 service
116117 is the official Terminservice for statutory-insured (GKV) patients. Online or by phone it helps you find appointments — including specialists and psychotherapists — and triages by urgency ("immediately / as soon as possible / within 24 hours / in the coming days"). With a referral code (Vermittlungscode) it will arrange a specialist appointment within four weeks. The same 116117 number is also the after-hours non-emergency medical service, for when your practice is closed but you can't wait until the next day.
Seeing a specialist: the Überweisung (referral)
For many specialists (Facharzt) you'll need a referral (Überweisung) from your Hausarzt — the exceptions noted above (eye doctor, gynaecologist, paediatrician, and a first psychotherapy consultation) you can visit directly. The 116117 service issues an urgent referral code when one is needed. Note that 116117 is a GKV service; privately insured (PKV) patients book directly and are billed differently.
Getting a sick note (Krankschreibung)
If illness keeps you off work for more than three calendar days, you must give your employer a medical certificate (Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung) by the next working day (§5 Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz) — and your employer is allowed to demand one earlier, even from day one, so check your contract. Since 2023 the sick note is electronic (eAU): the doctor sends it digitally to your Krankenkasse and your employer retrieves it electronically — no more paper "yellow slip" to post.
Emergencies and out-of-hours care
Keep two numbers straight: 112 for life-threatening emergencies (ambulance/fire), and 116117 for urgent-but-not-life-threatening care when practices are closed. For medicines outside opening hours, pharmacies take turns on emergency duty (Notdienst) — find the nearest open one via aponet.de or by calling 22833. EU visitors on a temporary stay can use the EHIC card, but if you're relocating you need German insurance. Build your arrival plan to add "choose a Hausarzt" right after your insurance is set up.