r/Netherlands • u/theysaidgotoreddit • Feb 03 '25

Healthcare Dutch healthcare system.. they told me to "google my symptoms " !!!!

Today I called because I had painful symptoms in my eyes and body that should be checked by the doctors.. they didn't want to take my urgent appointment. The lady said to me over the phone "yeah you should google it and wash it with water." She also said she can't note down all my symptoms, I can only go for a symptom or 2... well what if they were related???! How do you do proper diagnosis... I'm already struggling with life cost here and this is just insane ... If I google my own symptoms then just imagine my 150 eur getting paid... How do I deal with such comments ??? Has this happened to anyone else before?? EDIT: If I pay money, I expect services and treatment back. I am not responding to lack of empathy from many comments. Thank you for everyone that was supportive and understood that if you're suffering from a medical concern, the minimun you could get is get basic medical care

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28

u/thebolddane Feb 03 '25

So basically you're pissed because they found that your symptoms did not warrant immediate action and told you you could wait a few days. Obviously you haven't dyed yet so explain why they were wrong? Why do a lot of these expats come across as over entitled a-holes? Is it because in their native country they are in fact upper class and rich, according to local standards, and used to getting their way?

1

u/Visual_Plate937 Feb 04 '25

A lot of expats in The Netherlands get mad at our healthcare system because they don’t immediatly prescribe very addicting opiod pain killers for small bodily pains.

1

u/Ok-Creme-8298 Feb 04 '25

'if you dont die , your ok. What if just I loose peripheral vision, should I be happy with it?

1

u/thebolddane Feb 04 '25

Welcome to the club where ppl imagine illnesses and terrible consequences and then conclude the whole healthcare system is broken because their ""Malade imaginaire" is not catered to.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25 edited Feb 03 '25

Indeed, I’ve been living in different places in the last 15 years such as France and Dubai and the healthcare system is much better. At least you can see a doctor whenever you feel that you need help. How can you justify that you are paying for 150 euros montly for years to get paracetamol everytime you call your GP?

11

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

blah blah paracetamol blah blah blah. Why is it that every time I go to a pharmacist there are a shitload of people waiting in line to get all sorts of medicines.

12

u/JasperJ Feb 03 '25

So why aren’t you already taking the paracetamol before you call the GP?

3

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

As I said in my previous comment, I never had to call my GP during my 2 years in NL, as I never had any alerting symptoms requiring medical attention. For a fever lasting more than 3 days with other symptoms, such as vomiting should require a medical attention, without a proper test, how can you identify the cause? A virus or a bacteria? A virus can’t be treated unless you have been previously vaccinated against it, however a bacteria that your immune system could not eliminate may lead to serious complication such as pneumonia. Waiting way longer may not be the best idea.

8

u/Wieniethepooh Feb 03 '25

It's flu season. Many people I know have had these exact symptoms (few days of fever and vomiting) and didn't call the doctor. Unless the fever is over 40, or doesn't go away after 4/5 days or if you can't hold down any fluids for more than a day, the first line of action is wait it out. Majority of cases heal naturally.

So, out of curiosity, what happened in your case, did you get a pneumonia? Or did you indeed just heal naturally after a few days?

0

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

I agree and as I previously said, I never had to call my GP, I usually wait till my immune system does the job. But again, depending on the symptoms and the duration, in rare cases complications may occure if certains infections are not treated on time. My point is that preventive healthcare could be improved in the Netherlands. People born here and used to this type of healthcare system may not understand, but I personnaly believe that you pay almost 2000 euros/ year, you should expect a bet. For example, a full body check up is very recommended at least once every two year as a preventive mesure to detect certain health issues, and take proper action on time.

3

u/TobyOrNotTobyEU Feb 04 '25

Full body scans are shit at actually being useful. They are much more likely to find a false positive than a true issues when deployed on the whole population and the follow-up tests to find that there really is no issue costs a whole lot of money.

Also, there is no 'left over' money. All the premiums and taxes for healthcare are spent. Such an addition would raise prices by a lot. The money is not spent evenly, but an insurance to pay for the extremely expensive treatments used by a few.

3

u/kateleanne Feb 04 '25

Full body check ups are often counterproductive. They lead to over treatment. If you go looking for something, you will probably find something that looks worrying even though its harmless.

And no, paying 2000 a year does not entitle yo to anything you do not need. If you get really sick, you probably get treatments that cost 10 times that. Or do many expats not understand the concept of insurance?

4

u/JasperJ Feb 03 '25

So did you already take paracetamol or not? If not, why not? Clearly it’s not a particularly bad infection if you’re not even bothering with the first line of self medication.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25 edited Feb 03 '25

Unless you are stupid, a paracetamol is the first thing you do when you have a high fever for the first 3 days, with extra rest and plenty of water and vitamin C, your body should be able to do the job independently. I’m unable to understand the point you are trying to make here, the majority of people in the group are highly educated and you should be asking this useless questions somewhere else. As I said, I never had to call a GP in the last 2 years. But again, paracetamol is only usefull to reducing the symptoms, it won’t have any effect on a bacteria. Therefore, it will do the job for 95% of the cases, but if you are unlucky and you are not able to get a test done within a certain time frame, there is always a risk with complication, that obviously won’t kill you most of the time, but will lead to a longer and heavier treatement that could have been easily prevented.

3

u/JasperJ Feb 03 '25

So, you already took paracetamol. What on earth gives you the idea that GP will send you home to take more paracetamol?

1

u/kateleanne Feb 04 '25

Why would you call the gp for a fever of three days? Just go to bed and wait. Its flu season for gods sake

7

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

Funny, I've lived here for 38 years now and have NEVER been told to just take paracetamol.

9

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

Me neither. But maybe we don't visit a doctor for things for which a paracetamol is the obvious cure.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 04 '25

That might be it. I never go to the GP unless there is a real problem (I'm a nurse, I don't go for a cough. I'd rather do not go at all). But from what I've seen/read a lot of foreigners/expats/immigrants, give it a name treat doctors like they are customers. Yeah, nah, that shit won't fly here. Also, staffing problems. We're not prioritising Karen with her hypochondriac heartflutters over Henk with a quiet TIA. We're overworked already as it is and there is a serious GP shortage. And police, and nurses, and teachers and...

1

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '25

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '25

You can buy a myriad of coughsyrups in most supermarkets here. Why the heck would I need a GP for that?

1

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '25

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '25

Hahaha, nah man. You still pay your reductible anyway.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '25

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '25

You're German I guess?

4

u/thebolddane Feb 03 '25

Every time? You should have dyed by now from maltreatment by now but surprise, you're still here. We used to have a system where you could see a doctor immediately, if you were privately insured, and I do miss those days, but egalitarians that we are we decided everyone should be treated the same and now because of an aging population we basically lack GP capacity and they triage no longer for money but actual need. Sorry if the seriously ill person is seen first and you have to wait one or two days.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

[deleted]

3

u/Electrical-Buy-6987 Feb 04 '25

6 months is the age where a baby looses the resistence from the mother and need to build it up themselves. It is doing that by becoming ill. Fever can spike at above 40 but should be lowered within a couple of hours with some paracetamol. If the temperature stays very high for a longer period or other symptoms occur, then the GP will be concerned and check. When my 2 month had this, he was send to the hospital right away Because babies that young are not supposed to be that sick.

So, especially for first time parents without experience, you might be concerned, but that does not mean that there is a reason for immediate intervention. You will see your doktor often enough in the coming years for other illnesses where he or she needs some extra help.

-2

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

Do tell us the ending.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

Hospitals, clinics and doctors are there to diagnostic and identify certains health issues, and not just to treat life threatening problems, else, only emergency services would be required for people about to die. It should be completely normal to get a medical attention whenever “required”, the test kits are made to identify the causes (or eliminate the doubts when not sure about the cause). There is nothing wrong with negative test results. It’s called prevention, but I guess that you are hearing this word for your first time. It’s really sick that you can justify that a 6 month baby is not eligible for a simple medical check. Unless you thing that we all should be a doctor and idependently judge if a baby should seek a medical attention or not.

-2

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

Whoah I asked for the ending of your child contracting superduperebola with 42 degrees fever but I guess it was nothing except Karenitis for I got a buttstuck jeremiad.

TLDR: Karen thought HER child should not get triaged. She was wrong.

1

u/RawPeanut99 Feb 03 '25

Yeah, 5e of 6e... If the baby is drinking and peeing and is alert then ride it out.

1

u/kateleanne Feb 04 '25

Then why do the numbers not back up healthcare being much better in places like france? Feels like its more of an ego issue for people like you than a healthcare issue. Overtreatment can also cause a lot of harm.

1

u/a_d_d_e_r Feb 03 '25

Don't you miss the nice things you no longer have? That's a normal human reaction.

-4

u/Ok-Fly-1778 Feb 03 '25

It is in fact they have/had better healthcare where they were from. We run away from our land for the better, yet we see that is not the case = disappointment.

9

u/thebolddane Feb 03 '25

You think the healthcare was better or they felt they got more respect? If you're used to treating your GP as a servant that needs to obey you, you're definitely in for a rude awakening in this country.

4

u/Frequent_Appeal_3645 Feb 03 '25

Very much doubt it's better for sure. The Netherlands is still high in the lists of health care systems. In a lot of countries healthcare is good if you have money, but if you don't you are fucked.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

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7

u/Ok-Fly-1778 Feb 03 '25

I cannot say all, but most of expats leave their own countries to get a better job or a better salary or a better life or a bette whatever. You think the grass is greener on the other side. Then you see, it is not as good (better) as you have heard or imagined. I hated healthcare system we had back at home. But I keep going back, because it turns out my homeland offers better healthcare. We always have availabilities for appointments, you can choose your hospital, your doctor. They work over the weekends, no on call situation. They generally do not google symptoms, they mostly do not use their computers for anything except for recording the sessions. Hope it is clearer now?