Medical Care List: Quick Reference

Reader Contribution… BIG thanks to the reader who put this together! What a great resource. This is one to print and keep one at home and one in your car for emergencies.

Hospitals in Netherlands:

Atrium Hospital Heerlen (sees Children!)
Henri Dunantstraat 5
T: 0031 (045) 576 66 66 or 0031-45-577-8844

Maasland Hospital Sittard (sees Children!)
Walramstraat 23
T: 0031 (046) 459 77 77

Hospitals in Germany:

University Hospital (sees Children!)
Pauwelsstraße 30
52074 Laurensberg,
Aachen, Germany
Phone: 0241 8088008

Elisabeth-Krankenhaus (sees Children!)
Hubertusstraße 100
DE-41239 Mönchengladbach
Germany – Nordrhein-Westfalen
Phone: 02166 3940

Heinsberg Hospital
Auf dem Brand 1
DE-52525 Heinsberg
Phone: 02452-188-569

Geilenkirchen Hospital
Martin- Heyden- Strasse 32
DE- 52511 Geilenkirchen
Phone: 02451-409-2339

Red Cross (GK) 0049-2451-63-2068 – or arc_geilenkirchen@yahoo.com
The GK ARC is does not currently have office hours. The answering maching is checked at least once a week. Email is best for a prompt reply.

Base providers:

Dentist 0049-2451-99-3535 470th on call provider: 0171-260-9570
Med center 0049-2451-99-3200 470th on call provider:0171-260-9365
Tricare 02451-99-3400/3401/3402
Nurse Advise Line, Europe: 00800-4759-2330

A Local Hospital Stay

Things happen and fortunately we have a pretty good support system over here with our own clinic and a wide network of Tricare accepting doctors both on the German and Dutch sides of the border. Medicine IS different though and it’s good to have some idea of what you might be getting yourself into. Here are just a few questions to ask and general information based on my stay in the Heinsberg Krankenhaus (hospital).

Before surgery:

• I assumed that the process would be long, but the time between meeting the doctor and having the surgery was 6 days. Things can happen quickly here (wish my internet was that fast).
• ASK ABOUT RECOVERY. Seriously. Sounds like a no brainer, but you don’t want to get out of the hospital and have 6 weeks of restrictions placed on you unprepared. Will you be able to drive, lift, do housework? For how long?
• Schedule a pre-op appointment at the American clinic. The doctor there will answer your questions and will give you any medications that you might need including “real” pain medication and anti-nausea meds. Get these and bring them to the hospital with you. Tell your German doctor and make sure that the nurses know that they are ok.

The Hospital Stay:

• German hospitals do not provide everything and you will not live in a hospital gown. Hospital gowns are used for surgery and you will only keep it until your bath/shower the next morning. After that, have clothes ready. If you’re having a baby, you will most likely deliver in your favorite t-shirt. Pack: clothing for the length of your stay, toiletries, your own towel(s) and wash cloths. Pack as if you were going to stay at a hotel. I recommend an extra pillow or two and may be even a small throw blanket especially in the winter. Bring a fan if you’re there when the weather is even slightly warm. There is no air conditioning.
• The rooms have a cabinet with a lock and key, so you can keep valuables safe, but in my private room, there was no problem. There is lots of space though to “unpack.”
• Ask how long you will stay in the hospital. Some doctors are flexible, but you need to be prepared. I was told 10 days, but escaped in 5. Do realize when planning your escape that you don’t have an automatic bed at home that can get into the exact perfect position and that you most likely don’t have remote controlled light switches and nurse call buttons either.
• Heinsburg does not provide phone service for free. You must go to the front desk and purchase a phone card. Your phone will only operate with the card. You are charged for outgoing calls. Incoming calls are free.
• There is television with CNN in English and British channel.
• Tricare covers the cost of a double room. Single rooms will cost you 24Euros/night extra. (Totally worth it)

Surgery:

• You will see the inside of the surgery room. The pre-op nurses and staff speak some English and are very kind and helpful, but you will see more than you do in an American hospital. They do not start the anesthetic as quickly here, so you will see a lot and will most likely be awake when they strap you down.

The nurses:

• The nurses are kind, but not overly chatty. Do not expect them to come into the room every hour or two to check on you. They come when they have to come or when you call them. You are expected to use the call button. They will respond to that.
• Again, ASK for stuff. I went 37 hours without food because of the surgery, then nausea, then missing the dinner hour and waiting for breakfast… but I didn’t ask and didn’t send my family to the cafeteria either. Stupid me. ASK.
• Pain meds… same thing. Ask, bug them, ring that bell or you might be waiting a while.
• Thrombosis stockings are only good for 3 days. I learned that on day 4 when I read the packaging. The nurses never brought me new ones. I mentioned it to the nurse. She said I had to ask. Ok. But she didn’t bring them until I actually walked out to find her and asked. Then, quickly, new stockings.
• They don’t seem to monitor the amount of food or fluids that you take in and they don’t measure or seem to care what comes out either. They will not bring you tons of water like they do in the states. They do not have ice. You will have to ask for water or get your own.
• You’ll be able to sleep. The nurses won’t bug you in the night. My first night I have 5 hours without a nurse. After that I went 8 hours without seeing a nurse. They leave you alone.

The meds:

• Suppositories and enemas are common here. They will deliver pain medicine via enema or shot. If you want a tablet, you will have to ask for it, but be prepared, when I asked for pain medicine after my surgery they brought me one 600mg tablet of Ibuprofen (Advil). Most of us take more than that for a headache. This is where that medicine you got at the American clinic comes in.
• You will get a shot most mornings in the leg for thrombosis (blood clots). It is normal to have bruising and even a lump in that area. It goes away.
• It is common to X-ray your kidneys to make sure that they are ok. You will be taken from your room to another. The X-ray takes about 2 minutes from sitting down to walking out.

The food:

• Breakfast: 1 broetchen, 1 slice of white bread, 1 slice of cheese, some butter and jam, yogurt, and tea.
• Lunch: The hot meal – soup, meat and potatoes, veggies, fruit. Sometimes tea, sometimes no beverage at all.
• Dinner: Repeat of breakfast, but with a slice of deli meat and no yogurt.
• Water: There are bottles of mineral water provided. The nurses will not replace them unless you ask. You are welcome to toddle into the hallway yourself and fetch one from the crate sitting in the hallway.
• BUT… the cafeteria is downstairs and has REAL FOOD! And it’s good!!! So you have to pay a little, but it’s totally worth it! Beautiful German cakes hand made there in the kitchen. Ice cream. Good french fries. Lots of hot food options at the lunch and dinner hours. And I saw other patients there… and I left without the nurses even noticing… so, go for it.

Medical/Dental/Eye Care 101

Medical Care:

Is there a hospital on base? There is a U.S. Clinic on the Geilenkirchen N.A.T.O. base that serves Americans from GK, Schinnen, and Brunnsum. The doctors there are family practice doctors that will see your entire family. This is where you’ll go for routine care, immunizations, and referrals. If you have a medical need that cannot be served by the medical staff at GK, Tricare will give you a referral for off base care either in Germany or the Netherlands.

Where do I go for pediatrics? There is not a pediatrics clinic on base, but the medical staff there are very good with children and will see them as well. Again, for a serious condition that the staff are not equipped to care for, the child will be sent to see a specialist off base.

Where do I go for pregnancy? Pregnancy care is done on base by local physicians. You will have a choice which hospital you’d like to deliver at. Tours are available to orientate you with the hospital and the process.

Referrals? If you need a referral, your Primary Care Manager (PCM) at GK will recommend a referral and you will go upstairs to the Tricare office. From there, Tricare will set up an appointment with a local physician. Medical staff referred by Tricare do generally speak English very well. Medical reports by off base medical staff will need to be translated by Tricare (10+ working days) before your PCM can review and make any further decisions.

U.S. Medical facilities: For serious issues, you may be able to get a referral to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest military hospital in Europe. It’s about a 3 hour drive down there, but it’s VERY close to Ramstein and Volgelweh, so lodging is nice, and it’s a great opportunity to shop. We’ve been very happy with the quality of physicians there and the quick, efficient service. Everything from x-rays to orthotics and other services are done immediately.

Known medical providers:

Fertility Care – Prof. Dr. med. J. Neulen
Universitatsklinikum Aachen
Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074 Aachen
0241-8088971

Fertility Care — Dr. Kaschal

02452-188531

Radiology — Dr. Honinx
Ostpromenade 102; Heinsburg
02452-3001
*Very kind, professional, and speaks excellent English. Would go to again. Nice office across from the bus station in Heinsburg in what looks more like an apartment building. Close walk from centrum. Friendly staff. Easy to find with GPS.

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Dental Care:

Can I see a dentist twice a year for cleaning? Yes, but not as easily as you may have done in the past. You will be seen in your sponsors birth month at the Dental Clinic on the GK base for your routine cleaning. If you would like to be seen at the half-year mark, you will either need to call the clinic for a same day, space available appointment, or you may consult the list of local dental providers and be seen off base. Any dental care that is needed, is, of course, provided in a timely manner.

Orthodondists??? If you or your child need orthodontic care, you will be given a referral either down to Bitburg (a U.S. base about 90 minutes from GK) or you may choose an off-base provider.

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Opthomology:

Opthamologists come from Spang/Bitburg quaterly and take appointments on base, but those fill quickly and they don’t see very young children. Active duty members often make the trip to Bitburg for eye care and dependents can be seen locally by off-base opthomologists. For children, there are good eye doctors as well and the Pearle Vision in Sittard is a great place to get your glasses and contacts.

Known providers:

Stichting Oogvisie Zuid-Limburg
Mauritspark 3
6163 HM Geleen
Tel: 0031-46-475-8353

This is where we went. It’s in an old house and there is parking both on the street and in the lot in back. They were very thorough and extremely good with my daughter. This was her first time to an eye doctor and she was a little scared, but the ladies all treated her respectfully, kindly, and explained everything to her as they did it. The appointment lasted about 2 hours complete with dilation time and the re-exam by the doctor.

Fill prescriptions glasses and contacts:

Pearle Opticiens

Tempelplein 7 -B

6131 JC Sittard

http://www.pearle.nl

tel: 0031-(0)46-4529133
(Across from H&M in Sittard, diagonal from the flower shop by the Tempelplein parking lot)

Online
http://www.1800contacts.com/

http://www.39dollarglasses.com/

This site is absolutely great. Although you might think buying glasses on line would be difficult, this site makes it easy. They have a printable template that you download to ensure you have the correct size frame; they have pictures of different shape faces/genders, so you can pretty much see how the frames would look on your face, and the service is fast. The frames start at $39, of course, and you can upgrade to all the latest and greatest features, such as ultra thin lenses and tint and the like. It makes buying glasses much more affordable than paying in euro!

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Germany vs. The Netherlands

It is true that, in general, the Dutch people have a much better handle on the English language than the Germans in this area; however, the physicians that Tricare will refer you to do have English skills – some quite good. The key, as with any physician, is to choose someone that you feel comfortable with. There are many physicians usually to choose from, so if you are not happy with one, it is ok to ask for another. You also need to speak a little slower and may need to repeat yourself. Make sure that you are understood and do not be afraid to ask questions. We’ve been referred to physicians in both places and have been happy with both.

Fertility Help

Reader Contribution…

Moving to Germany can be overwhelming, especially if your family is facing issues with fertility. Couples that find themselves in this situation can take some comfort knowing that other Americans have faced this challenge while living overseas.

Once you have been diagnosed with infertility, be sure to talk through options with staff at the Tricare office. Some (not all) of the procedures that physician may order can be covered by Tricare – be sure to find out before you proceed with anything!

Fertility experts are located through the Benelux. Discuss options with your primary care physician and/or your local physician. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Prof. Dr. J. Neulen at Aachen Hospital. He is an Endocrinologist that specializes in reproductive issues. His office is located inside Aachen Hospital. He and his staff speak English and are extremely helpful!

Prof. Dr. med. J. Neulen
Universitatsklinikum Aachen
Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074 Aachen
0241-8088971

Whatever happens, keep in mind that there are military families in the area that understand what you are facing. Reach out and ask for help if you need it!

Contact Lenses

Via the internet (the cheaper method): http://www.1800contacts.com/
They do not require contact/a faxed script from your optometrist for APO orders. I looked around for a coupon online and found one for free shipping, which also saved me a few dollars. (google: “1800contacts coupon codes”)

Local: Pearle in Sittard (recommended by more than one person)
They are in the main shopping area, not far from the square. They are very courteous and good with children. While not cheap, they do accept the VAT form and have always been prompt and professional.

Local Medical Facilities – Phone List

470th Medical Flight

Dental Clinic

The Dental Clinic’s most important mission is to ensure service members assigned in the Tri-border area are “fit to fight”. The dental clinic assists units with dental readiness requirements by sending reports to commanders to alert them to the dental status of their troops.

Complete dental service is available to all active duty service members. Active duty sponsors should enroll their family members in the Dependents Dental Plan. Examination and treatment for active duty family members who are not eligible for DDP is available on a space available basis during normal duty hours at the clinic. For more information call 0049-245199-3535.

Medical emergencies

For all medical emergencies, immediately go to the nearest civilian hospital emergency room. The 470th Medical Flight is not equipped to handle emergencies.

Find out which medical emergency facility is closest to your home or location. Make sure the family knows this is the facility of choice. Determine the shortest route from the home to that facility. If new to the area, make a trial run to the facility.

Keep emergency phone numbers posted near the phone where children and adults can easily find them. Below is a list of local civilian hospitals. The 470th Medical Flight does not imply that the quality of care of any civilian hospital is better than the other.

• St. Elisabeth Krankenhaus, Geilenkirchen, GE, 0049-2451-6220. Pediatric care is not available.
• Stadtishes Krankenhaus, Heinsberg, GE, 0049-2452-1880. Pediatric care is not available.
• Atrium Medisch, Brunssum, NL, 0031-45-527-9999. There are no after-hours emergency services. Pediatric and obstetric emergency services are not available.
• Atrium Medisch Centrum, Heerlen, NL, 0031-45-576-6666.
• Maasland Ziekenhuis, Sittard, NL, 0031-46-459-7777.

Family members must inform the TRICARE center prior to obtaining routine care by a local provider. If visiting an emergency room after duty hours, notify TRICARE the next day to ensure medical care continuity.

Quick health services list

CentralAppointments 0049-245199-3200

Immunizations/Allergy 0049-245199-3360

DentalClinic 0049-245199-3535

Pharmacy 0049-245199-3334

CHAMPUS/TRICARE 0049-245199-3400

Referrals(military) 0049-245199-3319

Referrals(local) 0049-245199-3400

TelephoneConsult 0049-245199-3345

HealthAdvisor 0800-022-7944

AfterHours Nurse 0800-022-7944

Health care information hotlines:

Germany 0800-825-1600

Netherlands 0800-022-7944

Belgium 0800-71920