Organisation

One of the main principles underlying Luxembourg’s healthcare system is that the patient has the freedom to choose their own healthcare provider.

Healthcare is organised around various parties:

• physicians,
• health and social welfare centres,
• hospitals,
• out-of-hours services,
• pharmacies,
• aid and care establishments,
• home care networks.

General practitioners provide primary care or front-line care. Their task mainly consists of preventive healthcare, less specialist diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, by means of consultations. Healthcare structures such as hospitals, but also the practices of specialist practitioners, provide secondary care or second-line care. Their role mainly involves consultancy, as well as specialist diagnosis, treatment and care.

Aid and care establishments and home care networks provide tertiary care or third-line care, usually following a hospital stay.