Finding a doctor in the Czech Republic as a foreigner
Updated 9 October 2026. Not legal advice: the rules for your situation depend on your residence and insurance.
1. Start with a GP (or a pediatrician for children)
In the Czech Republic you register with one GP, a praktický lékař. They are your first point of contact, refer you to specialists and write sick notes. Children are registered with a pediatrician, praktický lékař pro děti a dorost. Registering with a dentist works the same way.
Find a GP who accepts new patients → · Pediatricians → · Dentists →
2. Contact practices that accept new patients first
On every town page, practices that recently said they accept new patients are at the top, and 🗣️ marks those where you can speak English. Many practices are full, so contact a few. An e-mail is often easier than a phone call if your Czech is limited: mention your health insurer, where you live and that you are looking for a new doctor.
Useful sentences in Czech:
- Dobrý den, hledám praktického lékaře. Přijímáte nové pacienty?
Hello, I’m looking for a GP. Do you accept new patients? - Mluvíte anglicky?
Do you speak English? - Jsem pojištěný / pojištěná u …
I’m insured with … (male / female form) - Bydlím v …
I live in … - Máte pořadník?
Do you have a waiting list?
3. What to bring to your first visit
- Your health insurance card
- An ID or passport
- Any previous medical records or a list of medicines you take, if you have them
4. Specialists
Some specialists only take new patients with a referral (žádanka, doporučení) from your GP. Ask when you contact them.
5. If nobody takes you
If you are in Czech public health insurance, your health insurer must help you find a GP or a dentist. Call their helpline or visit a branch, say you can’t find a doctor, and mention the practices that turned you down.
6. Urgent and after-hours care
- 112: European emergency number, operators speak English.
- 155: ambulance.
- Outside surgery hours, look for pohotovost (after-hours emergency service) in your town; there is a separate zubní pohotovost for dental emergencies.
Questions people ask
Do I need to register with a GP in the Czech Republic?
Yes, it is how the system works. You choose a GP (praktický lékař) who agrees to take you and you sign a short registration form. Your GP is your first point of contact, writes referrals and sick notes. Children are registered with a pediatrician (praktický lékař pro děti a dorost) instead.
Can a practice refuse to take me?
Yes, most often because it is full. That is why it helps to know who currently accepts new patients. If nobody near you takes you, your health insurer has to help you find a doctor.
What does my health insurer have to do for me?
If you are in Czech public health insurance, your insurer must make sure care is available to you. A GP and a dentist should be within about 35 minutes of travel from where you live. If you can’t find one, call your insurer’s helpline or visit a branch and ask them to find you a doctor.
I have private (commercial) insurance for foreigners. Does this site apply to me?
Partly. Commercial insurance works differently from public insurance and not every practice accepts it. Check with your insurer which practices they work with, and say what insurance you have when you contact a practice.
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