Sick leave without a family doctor: Various options for the certificate of incapacity for work
Created: 12/10/2022, 11:00 am
By: Carina Blumenroth
Your limbs hurt, your temperature is rising, your nose is running – you are sick.
But you don't have a family doctor who can give you sick leave.
Is this a problem?
A move to a new city or simply a lack of trust, the effect is the same: you no longer have a family doctor.
If you are healthy, this is not a problem - then you have all the time in the world to find out which practice suits you.
However, if you are dependent on regular medication, you will need a family doctor.
Likewise for a certificate of incapacity for work for the employer in the event of illness.
There are several ways you can behave.
Sick leave for acute symptoms: A permanent family doctor is not necessary
Do you need a sick note and do not yet have a permanent family doctor?
You have different options.
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Fast help is important, especially when you have acute symptoms.
In this case, you can visit a family doctor's practice, even if you are not known as a patient there.
In the best case, you call in the morning and find out when you can come to the emergency consultation.
This can save you a long time in the waiting room.
However, you should be aware that a visit to the doctor without an appointment always means that you have to be patient.
Who can give me sick leave?
In principle, any contract doctor can give you sick leave.
You do not necessarily have to have been a patient in the practice before.
Hospital doctors are only allowed to issue a certificate for up to seven days after discharge, as the lawyers Carl Wittig and Kagan Ünalp announce on their own website.
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What online options do I have for sick leave?
If you don't want to leave the house, you can also use a video consultation.
This is possible for all insured persons - even if you are not yet known to the practice.
There are differences, according to information from the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, however, in the duration of sick leave.
sick note | Patient known in practice | follow-up certificate |
|---|---|---|
Up to three calendar days | no | with a personal visit to the practice |
Up to seven calendar days | Yes | with a personal visit to the practice |
Source: https://www.kbv.de/html/1150_56609.php, status: 09.12.2022
However, you should note that you are not entitled to a certificate of incapacity for work through the video consultation.
As with a face-to-face visit, the respective doctor will of course decide whether you are unable to work.
You should also note that the video consultation is only possible for diseases that can be assessed remotely.
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Online sick leave without visiting a doctor
You can also get sick leave without video consultation and waiting time in the practice.
There are various online providers where you can fill out a form with questions about your health status, which you then submit.
You will receive the certificate of incapacity for work as a PDF.
The procedure may not be used in the case of pre-existing or serious illnesses.
Online sick leave is often free for patients with statutory health insurance, privately insured people receive an invoice.