huisartsensposten

Huisartsenposten, usually referred to as huisarts en posten in Dutch, are out-of-hours general practitioner centers in the Netherlands that provide urgent primary care outside regular GP practice hours. They are open during evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays and are intended to ensure access to medical advice and treatment when a patient’s own GP is closed. Posts are organized regionally and staffed by rotating groups of general practitioners, often supported by practice nurses and assistants.

Access to a huisarts post typically begins with a telephone contact. A triage professional, such as a nurse or doctor, assesses urgency using standardized guidelines. Depending on the assessment, the patient may receive telephone advice, a prescription, a home visit, or an in-person consultation at the post. In some areas, home visits are arranged when a face-to-face visit is necessary but travel would be difficult for the patient. The aim is to provide appropriate, timely primary care while reducing pressure on hospital emergency departments.

Huisartsenposten operate alongside daytime GP practices and the hospital system. They are not intended as substitutes for true emergencies, which require calling the emergency number (112). The posts function under a regionally organized network of GP practices and are typically funded within the Dutch system of statutory health insurance. Standards and guidelines are maintained by professional bodies such as the Dutch Association of General Practitioners (LHV) and the NHG, with quality and accessibility monitored at the regional level. The system has evolved to improve after-hours access and to relieve peak demand on other emergency services.