Outpatient (ambulatory) care is provided by a medical practitioner without a patient’s hospitalization. Many types of outpatient care services are included in State-paid health care services.
What is outpatient care?
Outpatient (ambulatory) care is provided by a medical practitioner without a patient’s hospitalisation. A patient makes an appointment with a doctor and then comes to a designated place (clinic or hospital) at a specified time.
Many types of outpatient care are included in State-paid health care services, such as:
- preventive examinations provided by a general practitioner
- laboratory testing (with referral): e.g., blood tests
- diagnostic examinations (with referral): e.g., ultrasound
- consultations by specialist doctors, etc.
In order to receive State-funded outpatient care (consultations with specialists, diagnostic examinations, etc.), you should first contact a general practitioner (family doctor) and receive a referral. Your general practitioner will decide the type of referral that you need and will explain details about it, the expiry date, etc.
Direct access specialists
There are several specialist doctors to whom you may turn without a referral from a general practitioner.
example Psychiatrist, gynaecologist, dermatologist, dentist, ophthalmologist, or in case you have a major trauma.
Priority outpatient care
Some health care services are provided quickly for specific patient groups on a priority basis.
example The patients are placed in the treatment queue based on the severity of the health problem. With a serious health problem, you can get to a medical practitioner faster.
Read about inpatient care as well in this Guide.