Calling hetismij
Jun 27th, 2010, 11:38 AM
#1
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Calling hetismij
I know you live in the Netherlands, so I'm hoping you can help. My son (American) is currently in Leiden and will be for the rest of the summer. He is harboring some sort of tropical or other developing-world malady from his time in India and/or Nepal which should not wait until he is back home again. (Malaria has been suggested by some in a position to know, but it may be other things instead of/in addition to.) I assume whatever it is will require lab tests to identify, plus whatever course of treatment is necessary.
He is currently considering traveling to France or England to get cheaper care, but is dragging his feet (and making his worried mom even more worried). What do you know about what it will cost/how difficult it will be for him to get care in the Netherlands as a tourist?
Thanks for your help!
He is currently considering traveling to France or England to get cheaper care, but is dragging his feet (and making his worried mom even more worried). What do you know about what it will cost/how difficult it will be for him to get care in the Netherlands as a tourist?
Thanks for your help!
Jun 27th, 2010, 12:01 PM
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Oh dear! Is he insured? Otherwise he will meet the same problems in the UK and France!
He should contact a local GP asap. That will cost him maybe €20, plus any medicines, but hopefully his insurance will cover him.
Leiden has a couple excellent hospitals, The Leidse Univerity hospital and the Diaconessenhuis but I don't think either has a walk in emergency room. Normally referrals are done by the GP or out of office hours by the huisartenpost (0900 - 5138039 in Leiden) unless an ambulance is required.
If he isn't insured he will need to tell them that upfront. If it isn't too expensive he may get treated for free, he may not, but if it is malaria or similar then he will get a bill I'm afraid.
Tell him not to hang about. People die from Malaria!
If he can get to Amsterdam then the Onze Lievevrouw Gasthuis has a walk-in emergency room. http://www.olvg.nl/english has info and directions.
He should contact a local GP asap. That will cost him maybe €20, plus any medicines, but hopefully his insurance will cover him.
Leiden has a couple excellent hospitals, The Leidse Univerity hospital and the Diaconessenhuis but I don't think either has a walk in emergency room. Normally referrals are done by the GP or out of office hours by the huisartenpost (0900 - 5138039 in Leiden) unless an ambulance is required.
If he isn't insured he will need to tell them that upfront. If it isn't too expensive he may get treated for free, he may not, but if it is malaria or similar then he will get a bill I'm afraid.
Tell him not to hang about. People die from Malaria!
If he can get to Amsterdam then the Onze Lievevrouw Gasthuis has a walk-in emergency room. http://www.olvg.nl/english has info and directions.
Jun 27th, 2010, 12:57 PM
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Oh, Arts, I was afraid when I saw the title of your thread it was about your son. I am so glad that hetismij saw it and has responded but I am sure sorry to read your son still is not feeling well. I have a loved one that has not gone to the doctor and really needs to do so and has health insurance so there is no excuse. I sure understand your worry and stress.
And a "hello" to you, dutyfree, how are you and your knees doing? I think of you too and hope that you can get the medical care that you need.
Life, it gets overwhelming at times.
And a "hello" to you, dutyfree, how are you and your knees doing? I think of you too and hope that you can get the medical care that you need.
Life, it gets overwhelming at times.
Jun 27th, 2010, 01:17 PM
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Sorry to hear your son is feeling bad.
When I was living in Amsterdam last year, I used the OLVG that hetismij mentions quite a bit.
The first time I went, I just walked into the emergency room late at night - I don't recall them even asking about insurance or payment at that point, although they may have. (I had broken my leg in Paris a day or two previously, and had just returned to Amsterdam. My leg was swelling so much the cast was cutting off circulation, so I needed to get it seen to right away.) Anyway, they seemed to be much more interested in solving my health problem than in worrying about payment - often in the States it seems like the priorities in an ER are in the reverse order.
Anyway, the staff spoke excellent English and were extremely kind and helpful. I then continued to go to the OLVG for all my subsequent broken-leg treatment over the next 8 weeks. Received very good care. For those visits I was asked about insurance, and my stateside insurance covered everything.
I would encourage him to just go to a doctor or hospital and tell them his story and see what they say about payment.
When I was living in Amsterdam last year, I used the OLVG that hetismij mentions quite a bit.
The first time I went, I just walked into the emergency room late at night - I don't recall them even asking about insurance or payment at that point, although they may have. (I had broken my leg in Paris a day or two previously, and had just returned to Amsterdam. My leg was swelling so much the cast was cutting off circulation, so I needed to get it seen to right away.) Anyway, they seemed to be much more interested in solving my health problem than in worrying about payment - often in the States it seems like the priorities in an ER are in the reverse order.
Anyway, the staff spoke excellent English and were extremely kind and helpful. I then continued to go to the OLVG for all my subsequent broken-leg treatment over the next 8 weeks. Received very good care. For those visits I was asked about insurance, and my stateside insurance covered everything.
I would encourage him to just go to a doctor or hospital and tell them his story and see what they say about payment.
Jun 27th, 2010, 01:42 PM
#7
I had wondered what was happening about this. So glad you got an answer here. I don't know about France, but I have been required to pay for treatment in the UK (although I'm still a UK citizen I'm no longer a UK resident). I think it's different for emergency care, but I don't know whether this will count as an emergency.
Jun 27th, 2010, 02:24 PM
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I urge you to follow the advice of hetismij, urgently.
When I lived in NL I worked for an international engineering firm in the oil construction business. Oil company personnel were sent all over the world and sometimes came back with strange diseases. The Dutch also have had colonies in the tropics and their diplomatic people were known to come home with bad stuff. I personally knew a few people who were afflicted with these diseases. The medical profession in NL is well experienced and certainly as good as any for diagnosing and curing whatever your son has.
Look at your insurance policy for coverage. Probably all that he will need is an official translation of the bills to be covered.
When I lived in NL I worked for an international engineering firm in the oil construction business. Oil company personnel were sent all over the world and sometimes came back with strange diseases. The Dutch also have had colonies in the tropics and their diplomatic people were known to come home with bad stuff. I personally knew a few people who were afflicted with these diseases. The medical profession in NL is well experienced and certainly as good as any for diagnosing and curing whatever your son has.
Look at your insurance policy for coverage. Probably all that he will need is an official translation of the bills to be covered.
Jun 27th, 2010, 03:01 PM
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He has an insurance policy at home, but I don't believe it covers him outside the US. Yes, I know he should have had a travel policy, but the cost was prohibitive. So he is probably on his own. He does have about $180 in a health savings account which he should be able to access to pay for some of it.
He's feeling better, which is nice, but he's not well, so I don't trust that whatever it is, is going away. He has friends offering to help pay for his travel to France or England, but perhaps they can just help him pay for his care in the Netherlands.
He's about 15 minutes from Amsterdam, so I will tell him to start at the OLVG - if nothing else, perhaps they can refer him to a GP. If he can see a doctor for 20 euros, that's way cheaper than it would be at home. I've told him that no matter what he should get this taken care of in Europe, as his insurance here has a high deductible and whatever it costs there, it will certainly be less than it will cost here.
Thanks for all your help!
He's feeling better, which is nice, but he's not well, so I don't trust that whatever it is, is going away. He has friends offering to help pay for his travel to France or England, but perhaps they can just help him pay for his care in the Netherlands.
He's about 15 minutes from Amsterdam, so I will tell him to start at the OLVG - if nothing else, perhaps they can refer him to a GP. If he can see a doctor for 20 euros, that's way cheaper than it would be at home. I've told him that no matter what he should get this taken care of in Europe, as his insurance here has a high deductible and whatever it costs there, it will certainly be less than it will cost here.
Thanks for all your help!
Jun 28th, 2010, 12:52 AM
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My son just said he should try the Tropencentrum at the AMC in Amsterdam - they specialise in tropical illnesses. But maybe the OLVG will refer him there if they are worried about it.
The phone number for it is 020 566 33 30. It will be a menu to negotiate, and they may not see him without a doctors letter, but it may be worth a try. it is open from 8 to 16.30 Monday to Friday.
The phone number for it is 020 566 33 30. It will be a menu to negotiate, and they may not see him without a doctors letter, but it may be worth a try. it is open from 8 to 16.30 Monday to Friday.
Jun 28th, 2010, 04:57 AM
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The LUMC (Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum) has a walk-in ER. Called 'Centrum Eerste Hulp'. The LUMC is located just behijnd the train/bus station. The below link is a map of the LUMC grounds, the ER is clearly marked:
http://www.lumc.nl/rep/0000/att/80820020228221.pdf
otherwise; he could go to any GP in the area. A consult will not be very expensive.
http://www.lumc.nl/rep/0000/att/80820020228221.pdf
otherwise; he could go to any GP in the area. A consult will not be very expensive.
Jun 28th, 2010, 05:21 AM
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They are specialists in any tropical desease know to mankind.
Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin
Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74
D-20359 Hamburg
[email protected]
in emergencies
Zentrale, 24 h
Tel. 0049/40/4 28 18-0
Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin
Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74
D-20359 Hamburg
[email protected]
in emergencies
Zentrale, 24 h
Tel. 0049/40/4 28 18-0
.
Jun 28th, 2010, 04:15 PM
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Thank you all for your help. It is very much appreciated! I have forwarded your information to the Scruffman. His best friend and her sister are arriving in Amsterdam tomorrow, so there's no chance he's going to be distracted from entertaining them, but I hope he will get into motion on his health as soon as they've moved on.
Jun 29th, 2010, 12:04 AM
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I still would strongly recommend getting to a GP ASAP. There is always a GP nearby and making a appointment and seeing can be done very quickly. With a possible tropical disease he should get medical help quickly. Maybe his best friend and sister can accompany him to see one...this could also considered to be sightseeing 
But hey, he has got the information now and is a grown up man, so he should make his own decission.
But one thing I would not advise; is taking time and money to travel to another country. Health care is good in the Netherlands and at least a visit to a GP and possibly an ER isn't too expensive! He can better save the money necessary to travel elsewhere on medical care in the Netherlands!
But hey, he has got the information now and is a grown up man, so he should make his own decission.
But one thing I would not advise; is taking time and money to travel to another country. Health care is good in the Netherlands and at least a visit to a GP and possibly an ER isn't too expensive! He can better save the money necessary to travel elsewhere on medical care in the Netherlands!
Jun 29th, 2010, 04:39 AM
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artsnletters,
I hate to pile on here but there is another consideration for your son. When he returns to the USA and shows a passport with stamps for India and Nepal he may be asked for his International Certificates of Vaccination card. Visitors to the tropics are advised by the Center for Disease Control to be inoculated against country specific diseases before they go. Failure to get shots can cause delays at the border.
BTW, doctor in Holland is *arts*.
I hate to pile on here but there is another consideration for your son. When he returns to the USA and shows a passport with stamps for India and Nepal he may be asked for his International Certificates of Vaccination card. Visitors to the tropics are advised by the Center for Disease Control to be inoculated against country specific diseases before they go. Failure to get shots can cause delays at the border.
BTW, doctor in Holland is *arts*.
Jun 29th, 2010, 04:56 AM
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I do hope your son will be ok. Health care in the Netherlands is excellent, and not nearly as expensive as it would be in the US. The Tropencentrum as mentioned bij Hetismij is the best place, if he turns out to have a tropical disease. He should probably see a GP first; and ASAP. The GP will refer him if necessary. And just seeing a GP will not be very expensive.
I probably don't need to tell you this now, but traveling without health insurance because it is too expensive, is imo irresponsible. If you cannot afford health insurance, and if your regular health insurance does not cover you while you are abroad; you should really stay at home.
I probably don't need to tell you this now, but traveling without health insurance because it is too expensive, is imo irresponsible. If you cannot afford health insurance, and if your regular health insurance does not cover you while you are abroad; you should really stay at home.
