Healthcare services in the Czech Republic are provided to all residents based on universal health insurance.
Health Insurance
Having valid and paid health insurance is mandatory for everyone in the Czech Republic.
All Czech citizens and EU residents are participants in public health insurance, along with:
- foreigners with permanent residence
- asylum status holders
- holders of subsidiary protection
- holders of temporary protection
- foreigners under 18 with valid long-term residence permits
- all other foreigners who are employed
Foreigners with other types of residency who are not employed must have commercial health insurance with a private insurance company.
warning
If you have public health insurance, you must ensure that the premium is paid every month, whether by your employer or by yourself. If you belong to one of the categories of persons for whom the state pays the insurance premium, you must report this to the insurance company.
info
Always carry your health insurance card with you!
Medical Care
Everyone should be registered with a general practitioner. You can contact them with any health issues, and they will refer you to a specialist (neurologist, urologist, etc.) if necessary. Children must also have a general practitioner.
In addition to a general practitioner, you should also have a dentist and, for women, a gynecologist.
info
If you cannot find a doctor or are refused by doctors, contact your health insurance company, which will provide you with a list of contracted doctors who can treat you. Because there is a shortage of doctors, it is possible that a doctor might refuse you due to capacity issues, in which case you will need to continue searching.
Ambulance
It’s a phone line that brings emergency responders to the patient. It should only be used in cases of sudden serious illness or injury when the patient cannot get to a doctor by themselves, and when quick on-site treatment and possible transport to a medical facility is necessary to prevent further health deterioration or life-threatening conditions.
- 155 – emergency medical service
- 112 – European emergency telephone number
info
You can use the 112 emergency number even if you don’t speak Czech, as operators speak multiple languages. However, it’s important to know that the call will initially be answered by a firefighter, which may cause some delay when transferring the call.
- ZÁCHRANKA – mobile app for emergency calls
info
We recommend installing the Záchranka app on your mobile phone for quick contact with emergency medical services. The app sends an emergency message with your exact location. You can use the app to call for help even if you are unable to speak.
Emergency Rooms
If your situation does not require calling an ambulance, and it’s outside of your general practitioner’s working hours, you can visit any emergency room.
Thomayer Hospital
location_on
Vídeňská 800, 140 59 Prague 4
Pavilion B1 (right of the main gate)
open_in_new
phone
For adults:
+420 261 082 520
+420 603 566 584
phone
For children:
+420 261 083 783
+420 603 566 587
schedule
Mon–Fri: 19.00–06.30
Non-stop service on holidays
Motol University Hospital
location_on
V Úvalu 84, 150 06 Prague 5
Emergency hall, blue building P
open_in_new
phone
+420 224 438 590
phone
Special Foreigner Department:
+420 224 433 691
+420 224 433 681
schedule
Mon–Fri: 19.00–06.30
Non-stop service on holidays
Bulovka Hospital
location_on
Budínova 2, 180 00 Prague 8
Ground floor of building no. 2
open_in_new
phone
+420 283 842 222
+420 266 083 301
schedule
Mon–Fri: 19.00–06.00
Non-stop service on holidays
Královské Vinohrady University Hospital
location_on
Šrobárova 50, 100 00 Prague 10
Ground floor of Pavilion S
phone
+420 267 163 778
open_in_new
schedule
Mon–Fri: 18.30–23.00 *
Sat, Sun: 8.00–20.00 *
asterisk
Outside of these hours, emergency services are provided by the doctors at the Central admission for the internal clinics.
Military University Hospital
location_on
U Vojenské nemocnice 1200, 169 02 Prague 6
Building CH2
phone
+420 973 203 571
open_in_new
schedule
Mon–Fri: 18.00–06.00
Non-stop service on holidays from 07.00 to 07.00 on the following day
Šustova Outpatient Clinic
location_on
Šustova 1930/2, 149 00 Prague 4 – Chodov
phone
+420 296 506 302
schedule
Mon–Fri 18.00–07.00
Non-stop service on holidays
Communication card:
Labour offices
Download:
Print / download as PDF