International Health Centre Rotterdam   Gerdesiaweg 488   3061 RA Rotterdam  info@ihcr.nl

Int. Health Centre Rotterdam
Gerdesiaweg 488
3061 RA Rotterdam

International Health Centre Rotterdam   Gerdesiaweg 488   3061 RA Rotterdam  info@ihcr.nl

Home | The Practice

The Practice

We currently only provide casual patient care (non-registered patients) at International Health Centre Rotterdam.

International Health Centre Rotterdam (iHCR) was founded to ensure accessible primary healthcare provider for expats and international patients in Rotterdam, especially those without Dutch insurance, or those seeking services their own GP cannot provide.

We provide an extensive range of general practitioner care. If needed we can refer you to all medical specialists in any hospital in Rotterdam and beyond.

Supporting accessible and comprehensive healthcare for internationals and expats.

A large survey amongst internationals, concluded that 40% do not feel safe with the Dutch GP. The cause? Cultural differences and communication issues.
This survey and conversations with expats have shown that there is a gap between the needs and expectations, and the Dutch healthcare system. Internationals often have difficulty with the reluctant approach to medication or diagnostics, or the lack of preventive testing.

We wish to bridge this gap by providing more time, attention and guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I register?

We currently only provide casual patient care (non-registered patients) at International Health Centre Rotterdam.

You can register at our Wijnhaven location if:
– You live in our care area;
– You have a Dutch “Basisverzekering” insurance OR one of the following: InsureToStudy, OOM GHU/NNAM, ONVZ Health.
If you are unsure if you are eligible to register, you can e-mail us your zipcode and insurance company.

Note: AON student insurance and OOM SIN are not accepted.

How to register:
Please visit the Wijnhaven website to register.

You can book appointments at International Health Centre Rotterdam as a casual patient (non-registered patient).

Why can't I register at iHCR instead of Wijnhaven?

iHCR is meant to provide for internationals who cannot find a GP in Rotterdam, usually because they do not qualify for Dutch public health insurance (“Basisverzekering”).
Alternatively, your Dutch GP may not provide certain services such as a yearly check-up.

Hence, iHCR is currently only for casual patient care.

Wijnhaven is where we provide care to registered patients with public health insurance.
It is strongly recommended to register with a GP if possible.

How can I get an appointment?

Please fill out the casual patient form here.

We will email you to schedule an appointment.

If it is a life-threatening emergency, please call our emergency line at the Wijnhaven location (010 – 411 12 07, press 1) or the Huisartsenpost in the evenings/weekends/holidays.

Can I cancel my appointment?

Please cancel your appointment 24 hours in advance, so we have the time to schedule another patient in your place.

You can do this by e-mailing us at info@ihcr.nl on weekdays.

Unexpected crises or unexpected situations can happen, and we do understand this, but we may have to bill you a no-show fee if you do not cancel in a timely manner. Not paying this fee will result in you not being able to book appointments with us in the future.

Can I get a general check-up done?

Yes, we do general check-ups. This is not something that is recommended or standard in The Netherlands, but we provide this service.

Please fill out the casual patient form here.

We will contact you to book a physical 20-minute appointment.

What are the costs and what does it include?

20-minute appointment: €63,71

Payment is due 12 hours before the scheduled appointment.
Available payment methods: iDeal or Creditcard (via payment link).

Any referrals, prescriptions, and point-of-care testing (urine strips, CRP, glucose) are included.

Not included: Medication from the pharmacy, lab tests, or anything else outside of our practice.

Costs for certain tests at the lab:

Costs of medication can be found here at Medicijnkosten.nl. Whether they are covered depends on your health insurance. When in doubt, please inquire with your insurance company directly.

How do I get the costs reimbursed?

If you have a Dutch health insurance “Basisverzekering” they may not cover a consultation with us, since you should be registered with a GP in Rotterdam.

For the following insurances, you will have to pay in advance and declare it yourself:

– European health insurance card;
– Student/expat Insurance (Allianz, Allianz CZ, AON student, Cigna, IPS, Loonzorg, SOS International, Unigarant);
– Other foreign or private health insurances.

You can send our invoice to your private health insurer.
Upon request, we can also provide you with a letter detailing your visit, may you need one for your claim. We will not fill out forms for you claim.

Can you recommend me a health insurance?

If you work in the Netherlands, you must get mandatory health insurance “Basisverzekering”.

All mandatory basic packages are the same regardless of the insurance company, and prices vary between €105,- and €140,- per month. If you have specific needs that aren’t covered by the basic package, you can take out a supplementary insurance that suits those needs. Supplementary insurances are different between insurance companies, so we recommend you to take your time comparing them.

On the websites of Zorgwijzer (English) or Independer (Dutch) you can compare different health insurances or call them for personalized advice. Their services are free of charge.

More general information can be found our Health Insurance page.

Students who do not work in The Netherlands, don’t fall under the Health Insurance Act and can’t get the same basic health insurance. They must rely on their EU insurance card or turn to a private insurance company such as Loonzorg, AON and IPS that don’t have contracts with Dutch healthcare providers.
Because of this, students may have a hard time finding a GP to register at. This is why International Health Centre provides casual patient appointments if they need care.

Which pharmacy should I go to?

If you are a casual (walk-in) patient your prescription will be digitally sent to Pharmacy Spanhoff. You will need an ID to pick up your medication.

Alternatively, if you are registered at a different pharmacy, we can send the prescription there.

For registration in a pharmacy in the centre of Rotterdam, you can inquire at:

Apotheek Lagaay – Westblaak
BENU Apotheek Spanhoff
Apotheek Ramleh
BENU Apotheek Erasmus 
BENU Apotheek Wester in Rotterdam

How can I file a complaint about a doctor or staff?

We are very sorry to hear you had a negative experience with someone in our team. Please try to solve it first by talking to doctor V.T. Nguyen.

If you wish to file an official complaint, please refer to the SKGE (Foundation Complaints & Disputes Primary care). Their website is in Dutch unfortunately, so their contact information can be found here.