Hospitals are identified by the international sign of a white H on a blue background.
Local hospitals will be listed in the Yellow Pages, but it may be better to ask your GP, chemist or the English-language clubs and other resources in the area, as they will be able to tell you which hospitals have emergency services and how they function. There are special hospitals or hospital sections for children, and it’s usually possible for parents to stay overnight with a child.
Hospital care is generally very good in Luxembourg, although practices may differ from those in your home country. In most cases, hospitalisation must be arranged by your GP and there may be a waiting list for certain non-emergency treatments and services. When going to a hospital, you should take your own pyjamas, robe and slippers, as well as personal toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.), towels and flannels. (If you’re admitted in an emergency, you should ask a friend or family member to bring you these items.) You’ll also need a small amount of money to pay for telephone calls, television programmes and, in some cases, bottled water and other items offered by private services within the hospital.
There are no private hospitals in the Duchy. All hospitals are run by the state Caisse de Maladie, and all non-emergency hospital admissions must be arranged by your doctor. There are three classes of service, called first, second and third class. First class means you have a private room and you must usually pay part of the extra cost unless you have premium (i.e. very expensive) private health insurance. Second class, normally a shared room with two or three patients, is the standard service and is covered under most insurance plans in Luxembourg. Third class service consists of a ward, usually containing more than three patients, and is provided only under certain circumstances.
This article is an extract from Living and Working in Holland, Belgium & Luxembourg.