FAQs
Fragen
What is a general practitioner (GP) or family doctor?
As GPs, we see ourselves as your guide through the increasingly complex healthcare system in Germany. We are available to you digitally via our website (e.g. via video consultation or online prescription ordering), as well as on site in the practice. We are your first point of contact for all matters, especially for chronic illnesses. We coordinate your treatment with specialists and hospitals. This gives us a comprehensive overview of your medical history and we decide together with you, for example, on the initiation of rehabilitation or preventive measures. As your central, regular point of contact for health issues, our aim is to provide you with ongoing advice and take preventative measures. In this way, we can alleviate or even completely prevent ailment.
Am I welcome as a new patient?
Yes, as a new patient you are welcome to make an appointment by telephone or via Doctolib. During your first appointment, we will take plenty of time to assess your medical history and current condition. Please take a printout of your findings from other doctors with you or upload them to Doctolib before your visit.
Do I still need a referral for the specialist?
If you visit a specialist without a referral, we will not receive a report. Without specialist reports, we cannot continue the treatment started by the specialist! You may also suffer disadvantages in the event of enquiries from insurance companies, pension offices, social courts, pension insurance companies, etc.! Applications for rehabilitation treatment, severe disability certificates or care levels are often rejected if we are unable to send specialist reports. So make sure you always bring a referral from us and insist on a report to your GP in your own interest.
I would like to get a 2nd opinion. How does that work?
In general, you are always free to involve other doctors in your personal (health) decisions thanks to the free choice of doctor. There is even a special process for certain procedures. This page will help you.
I have just moved to Gelnhausen and am looking for a GP.
Then you've come to the right place. You are welcome to make an appointment as a new patient online or by phone.
Please ask your current GP for any findings and medication plans so that we can provide you with better support.
Do I always need my insurance card?
Please always take your insurance card with you when you visit us. Unfortunately, we can only treat you in exceptional cases or in an emergency without proof of insurance. Please also note that the "eRezept" (electronic prescription) will only work if your insurance card has been scanned.
Can I get a sick note by telephone?
Yes, but only as an existing patient and under certain conditions. An initial sick note for up to 5 calendar days can be issued after a medical history has been taken by telephone. Please note that there must be no serious symptoms. However, you must always come to the practice for an extension of the sick note. Please note that your doctor can also refuse a sick note or ask you to come to the practice if necessary.
Why can't I have my fango massage prescribed by my GP?
Due to the high cost pressure, the statutory health insurance funds have tightened the rules for prescribing these so-called "Heilmittel" considerably in recent years. As a GP practice, we now have to follow precise guidelines as to when we are allowed to prescribe something. Short-term prescriptions are not normally a problem. We are also happy to support you in other cases and, in special cases, help you to submit an application to your insurance company so that you receive the treatment you need.
How can I support the practice?
If you liked our practice, we look forward to a positive review on Google.
How do I get my sick note (Ger.: AU) and what is an electronic sick note (Ger.: eAU?)
The familiar "yellow certificate" has been replaced by electronic sick notes (eAU) since 2023. Once we have established your incapacity for work, your employer can retrieve the certificate electronically within a few days. You don't need to do anything else. If you wish, you can still receive a paper sick note for your own records.
How can I pay for self-pay services?
If you obtain blood parameters, you will normally receive an invoice from us to your home address with all services. You can pay for other services at the practice using EC and all major credit cards. Please note that we cannot accept cash.
Do you make home visits?
For us, home visits are part of a GP's ethos. We can visit you or your relatives at home by prior arrangement. Please contact us separately for this.
What should I do if my "Hausarztzentrum" is closed?
If we have to close due to holidays or illness, we will inform you on this website about our medical substitution in the vicinity of the practice. The practice substituting us does not have access to your medical records, but can provide you, for example, with prescriptions if you need them.
The medical emergency service is available to you outside of opening hours and on the weekend. The service can be reached throughout Germany by telephone with the number 116 117 (www.116117.de)
I want to take more detailed preventive measures. How are self-pay services managed?
Despite the general usefulness of preventive care, the statutory health insurance funds in Germany unfortunately only cover certain preventive services. In consultation with your doctor, you can decide to have further blood parameters analysed, for example. In these cases, you will have to pay for the services that are not covered by your insurance yourself. The costs of these services are determined by law ("Gebührenordnung für Ärzte"). We will inform you in advance.
By the way: You may also be familiar with self-pay services under the name of individual health services ("Individuelle Gesundheitsleistungen; IGeL"). You can find detailed advice on the individual services at www.igel-monitor.de.
Why can't I have my expensive neurological, rheumatological or oncological tablets prescribed by my GP?
We are happy to help out with a prescription for a small pack of specialist medication if your specialist is not available. A permanent prescription of expensive, specialist medication is not possible, as we unfortunately cannot accept liability for medication unknown to us. In addition, we must first check whether we are authorised to prescribe each medication in accordance with your health insurance company's guidelines. We ask for your understanding if we have to refer you to the relevant specialist practices for permanent prescriptions, even if this seems a little inconvenient for you.
I have an appointment for a blood sample. What do I need to bear in mind?
Please come on an empty stomach. Certain tests (e.g. blood sugar determination) cannot be carried out accurately if you eat.
You should not eat anything after 8 pm the day before. On the morning of the blood test, you may drink small amounts of water or unsweetened tea.
What is a DMP?
Disease management programmes (DMPs) are treatment programmes for people with chronic illnesses. This is why they are also known as "chronic disease programmes".
The programmes are based on the latest research and are designed to ensure high-quality care for patients. They include, for example, good coordination of different treatment methods, regular follow-up checks, but also counselling and training for those affected in dealing with their illness.
In practice, we can help with these diseases in particular:
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Coronary heart disease (CHD)
As a GP, we act in a coordinating role. This means that we will be in close contact with your cardiologist, lung specialist or diabetologist (depending on the programme). Typically, we will ask you to come to the practice at least once on a fixed date.
If you suffer from one of the chronic illnesses mentioned above, we will advise you in detail.
You can find out more about DMPs at gesundheitsinformation.de.
How do I receive my "eRezept" (electronic prescripton)?
Since the beginning of 2024, your prescription is sent electronically to the pharmacy, where you can then collect it with your insurance card. Simply use our order form on this website.
Important: You must scan your insurance card once a quarter at our practice, otherwise the eRezept will not work. After the first prescription in the quarter, you no longer need to come to the practice.
What should be considered before an ultrasound examination?
Before an ultrasound of your abdomen (abdominal sonography), you should be as sober as possible, but at least try not to eat or drink immediately before the examination.
For the examination itself, it is advisable to wear clothing that can be easily pulled up or opened; for a thyroid ultrasound, clothing with turtlenecks should be avoided and, if possible, neck jewellery should be removed beforehand.