Action steps

• In case of life-threatening situations, call 112 for an ambulance or go immediately to the emergency room (ER) (dienst spoedgevallen or spoed in Dutch) of the nearest hospital.
• Leuven has two hospitals with ER units. The ambulance will take you to the nearest hospital or you can go there by yourself.
  • Regional Hospital: Heilig Hart Ziekenhuis Leuven (Consciencestraat – 3000 Leuven)
  • University Hospital: UZ Leuven Gasthuisberg (Herestraat 49 – 3000 Leuven)
• The ER services of each hospital are open 24/7 and are accessible to everyone in need of urgent medical care.
• You can download the 112.be app, the official app for the Belgian emergency services. In the app you can click on the icons to contact the appropriate emergency service needed.

• For non-life-threatening situations:
  •  during office hours, call you general practitioner (GP) or huisarts.
  •  outside of office hours or on weekends or public holidays, call 1733 or check www.8post.be to determine where you can find the most appropriate help for your issue - both are available in English.

• Don’t forget to take your insurance documents, your ID and possibly a debit card. In the event of a work-related accident, bring the documents provided by your employer and intended for the insurance company.

Attention points

• Be aware that the waiting time at the ER could last up to several hours, depending on the severity of your problem and that of the other patients.
• In both ERs in Leuven you will be able to explain your situation in English; for other languages the hospital will help you find a solution.
• You do not need to pay immediately for your visit at the ER. An invoice will be sent to you afterwards, by mail or e-mail.
• In the event of a work-related accident, the invoice will be sent to the insurance company of your employer (be sure to know the name of your employer's insurance company).
• If you do not have a health insurance or hospital insurance, the invoice will be sent to you for the full amount.
• After your treatment in the ER, you will either go home with instructions for your GP or you will be admitted to the hospital for further care and treatment.
• If you need specific medication after dismissal from the ER, you will get a prescription for the pharmacy. If necessary, you can find an on-call pharmacy via the website of w8post or by calling 0903 99 000 (paying phone number, 1,5€ p/m). In exceptional situations you will receive your medication at the hospital.

Suppliers, channels and tools

• www.w8post.be/en & www.1733.be 
• www.hhleuven.be
• https://www.uzleuven.be/en
• For urgent dental care (Dutch only): www.mijntandarts.be
• For urgent need of medication (Dutch and French only): www.apotheek.be or 0903 99 000 (paying number)

Last updated on 11/08/2022