Doctor and pharmacy in Czech: explaining what hurts

💡 At the surgery you give your name and appointment time, hand over the karta pojištěnce; then you wait in the čekárna (waiting room) until called.

💡 New patients fill in a registrační formulář (form): name, address, insurer, medication and illnesses; you may ask for help.

💡 Ordinační hodiny are the surgery hours; many doctors see patients by appointment and sometimes have a telefonická konzultace (phone consultation) or an e-recept for repeat medication.

💡 Useful words: krk (throat), kašel (cough), rýma (runny nose), horečka (fever), bolest hlavy (headache), bolí mě... (my ... hurts).

💡 Kde to bolí? is where does it hurt, od kdy? since when, silně strongly, bodavá stabbing, tupá dull, stálá constant.

💡 Berete nějaké léky? means do you take any medicine; Jste na něco alergický/á? are you allergic to anything; chronická onemocnění are chronic illnesses.

💡 A sick note (neschopenka) is issued electronically by the doctor (e-neschopenka): it goes itself to ČSSZ and the employer, paper isn't needed; you tell the doctor where you work.

💡 The prescription is mostly electronic today (e-recept): you get an SMS or email with an identifikátor (code); at the pharmacy you give the code or show the QR and receive the medicine.

💡 Vaccinations are recorded in an očkovací průkaz (vaccination card); bring it with you; if you don't have one the doctor will start a new one.

💡 The doctor often gives test results by phone or by e-mail and sometimes you can collect them at a visit; ask when they will be ready and whether you have to come in.

💡 A health certificate (potvrzení o zdravotní způsobilosti) is issued by the GP after an examination; ask how much it costs, how long it is valid and what to bring; the form is often supplied by the employer.

💡 A klíště (tick) is a common problem in Czech forests: do not pull it out yourself, let the doctor remove it; note the date of the bite and watch the skin: zarudnutí (redness) is a reason to come back.

💡 For many specialists you need a doporučení (referral) from the GP; today it can be issued electronically; with it you book the appointment.

💡 If the appointment is several months away ask about the čekací listina (waiting list) and cancellations; calling first thing in the morning often helps.

💡 The dětský lékař (pediatr) is the paediatrician. Questions about the child: Kolik je dítěti let? (how old) and Jak vysoká je horečka? (what is the fever).

💡 A preventivní prohlídka is a preventive check-up (once every two years at the GP, paid by the insurer); ask: Hradí to pojišťovna?

💡 In the Czech Republic children have an očkovací průkaz (vaccination card); compulsory vaccinations are given by the dětský lékař (paediatrician); bring the card from another country and a translation, the doctor will help set up a schedule.

💡 An oční lékař (eye doctor) checks your sight; brýle (glasses) are prescribed and ordered at an optika (optician); ask whether you need a referral and what to bring.

💡 For rehabilitace you need a doporučení (referral) from a doctor; the number of treatments is stated in it; ask about the waiting time and what to bring: a towel and comfortable clothes.

💡 At the pharmacy you give the identifikátor (code) from the SMS or show the QR, and also ID; the prescription is read from the system. For some medicines you pay a co-payment (doplatek).

💡 Bez předpisu means without prescription, na předpis only with a prescription; ask Co máte na bolest hlavy? The pharmacist will advise and warn about side effects.

💡 Třikrát denně is three times a day, před jídlem before food, po jídle after food, zapít vodou wash down with water; the package has a příbalový leták (leaflet).

💡 The question Můžu to brát spolu s...? is normal and frequent; the pharmacy helps free of charge and you can show a list of medicines on your phone.

💡 The night and weekend pharmacy is the pohotovostní lékárna; its address is posted on every pharmacy's door and on the website; ask Která lékárna má dnes pohotovost?

💡 Rýma is a runny nose, kašel a cough, bolest v krku a sore throat; each has a remedy: nosní kapky, sirup proti kašli, pastilky na bolest v krku.

💡 A generikum (generic) is a medicine with the same active ingredient but cheaper; the doplatek (co-payment) depends on the medicine and the insurance; ask whether it can be replaced and whether the doctor agrees.

💡 At the pharmacy ask for the dávkování (dosage) by the child's age and weight, not by guesswork; syrup often comes with a měrka (measuring cup); if the cough does not go away in a few days, see a doctor.

💡 Urgentní příjem (UP) is the hospital emergency department; on signs look for Urgentní příjem or Pohotovost; in a life-threatening case 155 or 112.

💡 Useful words: pád (fall), zlomenina (fracture), oteklé (swollen), bolest (pain), vymknutí (sprain).

💡 In the emergency department the queue depends on severity, not arrival time; asking about waiting is normal.

💡 Dítě is child, pád a fall, boule a bump, ztratilo vědomí lost consciousness. Say straight away whether the child lost consciousness.

💡 At night and weekends, when surgeries are closed, the LSPP (lékařská služba první pomoci) on-call doctor service operates; in a life-threatening case 155 or 112.

💡 You walk into the on-call surgery without an appointment: you give your name and insurance number at reception; the queue depends on severity. Bring ID and a list of medicines.

💡 In a strong allergic reaction (swelling, difficulty breathing) phone 155 or 112; say what you are allergic to and whether you have an autoinjektor (adrenaline auto-injector) with you.

💡 A propouštěcí zpráva (discharge report) summarises the treatment for your GP: ask for a copy and give it to your doctor; ask when to come for the kontrola (check-up) and which medicines to take.

💡 Zubař is dentist, bolest zubu toothache, plomba a filling, prohlídka a check-up; with strong pain say akutní bolest; there is also a zubní pohotovost - on-call dentistry.

💡 For a blood test you often have to come nalačno (fasting) and with a žádanka (referral); the doctor tells you the results by phone or in the system; check with the doctor.

💡 If a filling fell out or a tooth broke, phone the dentist and ask for akutní ošetření (emergency treatment); until the visit eat nothing hard or hot and rinse your mouth with water.

💡 A preventive check-up once or twice a year is usually paid by the insurer; dentální hygiena (professional cleaning) is often paid for; ask the price before the treatment.