Praktický lekár (general practitioner, "district doctor") is a primary care doctor. You register with them and go to them first for most health problems. They keep your medical records, issue prescriptions for regular medicine, sick notes (PN), and referrals (odporúčanie) to specialists.
How to Register
- First, you must be registered with a health insurance company (zdravotná poisťovňa).
- Then, you sign an agreement for healthcare services (dohoda o poskytovaní zdravotnej starostlivosti) with the doctor.
- Children have a separate doctor – a pediatrician.
Not every doctor accepts new patients, so you may need to call several clinics. You can usually change your doctor after some time – typically, not earlier than a few months. For many specialists, you need a referral from your praktický lekár, so they remain your main point of contact in the healthcare system.
