All you need to know about health in Croatia. First of all, how to register for insurance, how much does it cost, emergency and evacuation. Giving blood, contact details for all the main hospitals and specialist clinics. And where to find an English-speaking doctor or dentist near you.
- What is the emergency number in Croatia?
- Health in Croatia – who needs insurance?
- COVID-19 in Croatia
- How to apply for health insurance
- Where to find your local HZZO office
- HZZO – Frequently asked questions
- European Health Insurance Card and health in Croatia
- Which countries have reciprocal health agreements with Croatia?
- How to buy additional health insurance?
- Giving blood in Croatia
- Medical evacuation and the emergency helicopter service
- Bringing medicines into Croatia – what you need to know
- Health in Croatia – a list of English-speaking doctors
- Dental care in Croatia – where to find an English-speaking dentist?
- Pharmacies in Croatia
- Medical tourism in Croatia – fantastic quality, fantastic prices
- The Top 10 medical tourism clinics by revenue
- Health in Croatia and Brexit
- Find your local health centre in Croatia
- Contact details of major hospitals and specialty clinics
- Where to find spas and rehabilitation centres?
- Emergency medical institutes in Croatia by county
What is the emergency number in Croatia?
If you find yourself in an emergency situation in Croatia, call 112. The operators speak English and response times are generally very good.
The Croatian Health Insurance Institute (Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje – HZZO) has created the National Contact Point (NCP). It is very similar to service which exists in other EU member states. Primarily, it provides information about the rights of insured persons to medical care. If you are a citizen of another EU country, you can contact it to find out precisely what are your rights to medical assistance in Croatia.
Phone: + 385 1 644 90 90
E-mail: [email protected]
Ministry of Health
Ksaver 200 A
10000 Zagreb
phone: (01) 46 07 555
fax: (01) 46 77 076
Health in Croatia – who needs insurance?
The Croatian national health care system is public and regulated by the aforementioned HZZO. It is available to all Croatian citizens. However, foreigners with permanent residence in Croatia are also included. Healthcare in Croatia is generally significantly cheaper than in the USA and the UK. Additional private healthcare is also available – and often required, for various reasons.
There are many health centres all over the country, called “dom zdravlja”. You choose your primary care physician in one of them when you register for your health insurance card at HZZO. It’s, of course, advisable that you choose one that is closest to your apartment/house. Your general practitioner is going to be at the centre of your choosing, and then he/she refers you to other specialist hospitals or polyclinics if you need additional tests. This is free if you have state health insurance, and the prescriptions that your doctor prescribes are also either free, or you get a special price thanks to your state health insurance.
COVID-19 in Croatia
The biggest medical issue of our times is the global pandemic of COVID-19, which seems to have ground the World to a halt in March of last year. If you want to read all there is to know about the current COVID-19 situation in Croatia, including the active epidemiological measures, border-crossing, and the numbers of the positive people, read our Croatia Travel Update, which gets updated daily. If you need to get tested for COVID-19 in Croatia, we also have an article that can tell you where to go to get that done.
How to apply for health insurance
The process for registered for HZZO health insurance for foreigners is as follows:
Upon arrival, foreigners are required to register their temporary stay with the local police. The police will issue a registration number (evidencijski broj) once the application is approved.
The next step is to visit the local HZZO office. There, the previously mentioned registration number will be used as the basis of the healthcare application process. The following documents are required for the application:
- Original and a copy of a valid travel document (including the page with the relevant visa),
- A copy and the original of the confirmation of residence,
- Original and a copy of the temporary stay permit (biometric stay card),
- Confirmation on submission of the application for a temporary stay (containing registration number, evidencijski broj), and
- Confirmation of OIB identity number.
If your country does not have a reciprocal arrangement with Croatia (you can see the list here), the monthly cost of the insurance is 420 kuna. Payments are made directly to HZZO, after which HZZO informs the Tax authorities and Ministry of Finance. Subsequently, monthly money orders (called uplatnica in Croatian) will be sent.
The health card can take up to three months to be issued, but the health coverage is immediate. The solution is to simply take the paperwork and your registration to the health facility you are visiting.
Where to find your local HZZO office
You will need to find your local HZZO office, in order to start your application for health insurance. Here is a list of the contact details of all the local offices, complete with maps.
HZZO – Frequently Asked Questions
HZZO have a useful FAQ page on many of the most commonly asked topics. You can check out the latest official answers to these on the HZZO website.
European Health Insurance Card and health in Croatia
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is available to EU citizens and provides free healthcare to its citizens in other EU countries, including Croatia. You can apply for your EHIC card here (or here, if you’re from the UK).
Which countries have reciprocal health agreements with Croatia?
In addition to EU countries, Croatia also has international healthcare agreements with Australia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Northern Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.
How to buy additional health insurance?
If you would like to buy additional health insurance, you can do so via the HZZO website, or by calling 0800 7989. There are also numerous private additional health insurance providers in Croatia.
Giving blood in Croatia
Croatian hospitals are in regular need of blood donors, and there are regular calls to action. Is that making you think of becoming a blood donor in Croatia? Here is what you need to know.
Medical evacuation and the emergency helicopter service
If you need to organise an emergency medical evacuation, there are three main options: Air Pannonia, Doc on Board, and Lufthansa, as recommended by the US Embassy.
There is also an emergency helicopter service, which is particularly useful on Croatia’s islands. I used it for my daughter on Hvar many years ago, and the 12-minute transfer to Split hospital was very impressive indeed.
Bringing medicines into Croatia – what you need to know
From the US Embassy travel advice and health:
The importation of medical drugs for the personal needs of passengers is possible in the quantities needed for treatment up to a month (provided that the medical drugs have been approved by the competent authorities (FDA) of the country of origin) with the possession of appropriate medical documentation (transcript of disease history, physician letter).
Persons crossing the border of Croatia may possess a medical drug that contains narcotics only on the basis of medical documentation (copy of a prescription for the medicine, transcript of the disease history or a certified medical certificate issued by an authorized physician) and in the amount necessary for the person to use for up to 5 days. If it is a person who is on substitution therapy for addiction or symptomatic therapy in the terminal stage of malignant disease, the amount of medication may be up to 15 days of personal use.
An exception to the above are persons residing or staying in the Republic of Croatia traveling to the Schengen area who may possess a medical drug containing narcotic substances in the amount necessary for personal use for up to 30 days on the basis of a certificate issued by the licensed physician (family doctor) or a physician specialized in mental health care, prevention and outpatient treatment of drug addiction).
Health in Croatia – a list of English-speaking doctors
English is widely spoken in Croatia, including in the health sector. While not all doctors speaking English, the majority do and you should not have any problem communicating.
The US Embassy maintains a very useful list of English-speaking doctors, and it also included special health needs.
Dental care in Croatia – where to find an English-speaking dentist?
As with doctors, so too with dentists – finding an English-speaking dentist will not be a problem. The US Embassy has a comprehensive list, which covers most areas of the country.
Pharmacies in Croatia
Pharmacies are plentiful in Croatia, and the price of medication is very affordable. Major cities will have at least one pharmacy which is open 24/7, and even small island towns will have a pharmacy.
If you are looking for your nearest pharmacy, this pharmacy map of Croatia will be of use.
Medical tourism in Croatia – fantastic quality, fantastic prices
One of the biggest surprises for me when researching Croatian tourism in more details was the potential of health tourism. I had no idea that the very best private clinics were on a par with the rest of the world.
Here is an article I wrote for TCN on why Zagreb and Croatia are set to become the next hot spot for medical tourism.
And the more I researched, the more surprised I became. I attended a few health tourism conferences, and I managed to interview several of the top speakers in the global industry. All agreed that Croatia had the potential to be in the top 10 in the world if the various stakeholders could unite. You can read a more in-depth analysis and a road map to Croatian medical tourism success here.
The Top 10 medical tourism clinics by revenue
The medical tourism industry is just finding its feet in Croatia, but the potential is huge. Here are the top 10 clinics by revenue for 2017, and these numbers are set to rise considerably as the key stakeholders get more organised. There was a significant drop in those numbers in 2020, but things are starting to pick up in early 2021.
Health in Croatia and Brexit
What happened with health insurance for British visitors after Brexit? As with many other issues regarding the planned UK withdrawal from the EU many things were unclear.
The UK government has a very informative page that will tell you all you need to know about health insurance for UK citizens in Croatia as of January 1st, 2021. The rules for the UK citizens are now similar to those from the third-countries, with the exception of the possibility to get an EHIC or a GHIC card.
For the latest about health in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN page.
Find your local health centre in Croatia
The Ministry of Health maintains a list of local health centres in Croatia, and you can find all the contact details here.
Contact details of major hospitals and specialty clinics
Clinical Hospital Centres
Klinički bolnički centar Zagreb
Šalata 2,
10 000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/2368-987
Fax: 01/2379-922
http://www.kbc-zagreb.hr/
[email protected]
Klinički bolnički centar “Sestre milosrdnice”
Vinogradska cesta 29
10 000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/3787-111
http://www.kbcsm.hr/
[email protected]
Klinički bolnički centar Split
Spinčićeva 1
21 000 Split
Tel: 021/556-111
http://www.kbsplit.hr/
[email protected]
Klinički bolnički centar Rijeka
Krešimirova 42
51 000 Rijeka
Tel: 051/658-111
http://www.kbc-rijeka.hr/
[email protected]
Klinički bolnički centar Osijek
J. Huttlera 4
31 000 Osijek
Tel: 031/511-101
http://www.kbo.hr/
[email protected]
Clinical Hospitals
Klinička bolnica “Dubrava”
Avenija Gojka Šuška 6,
10 000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/2902-444
http://www.kbd.hr/
[email protected]
Klinička bolnica “Sveti Duh”
Sveti Duh 64
10 000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/3712-111
http://www.kbsd.hr/
[email protected]
Klinička bolnica “Merkur”
Zajčeva 19
10 000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/2431-390
http://www.kb-merkur.hr/
[email protected]
Clinics
Klinika za dječje bolesti (Clinic for Children’s Diseases)
Klaićeva 16
10 000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/4600-111
http://www.kdb.hr/
[email protected]
Klinika za infektivne bolesti “Dr. Fran Mihaljević” (Clinic for Infectious Diseases)
Mirogojska 8,
10 000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/2826-222
http://www.bfm.hr/hrv/
[email protected]
Klinika za ortopediju Lovran (Orthopaedic Clinic)
Šetalište Maršala Tita 1
51 415 Lovran
Tel: 051/710-201
http://www.orto-lovran.hr/
[email protected]
Klinika za psihijatriju Vrapče (Psychiatry Clinic)
Bolnička cesta 32
10 000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/3780-666
http://www.bolnica-vrapce.hr/site2/
[email protected]
Magdalena – Klinika za kardiovaskularne bolesti (Cardiovascular Diseases Clinic)
Ljudevita Gaja 2
49217 Krapinske Toplice
Tel: 049/244-444
http://www.magdalena.hr/hr/content/1/novosti/
[email protected]
County General Hospitals
Sisak
J.J. Strossmayera 59
44000 Sisak
Tel: 044/553-100
http://obs.hr/v4/
[email protected]
Slavonski Brod
Andrije Štampara 42
35000 Slavonski Brod
Tel: 035/201-201
http://www.bolnicasb.hr/
[email protected]
Koprivnica
Željka Selingera bb
48000 Koprivnica
Tel: 048/251-001
http://www.obkoprivnica.hr/
[email protected]
Knin
Svetoslava Suronje 12
22300 Knin
Tel: 022/641-111
http://www.obhpknin.hr/
[email protected]
Bjelovar
Mihanovićeva 8
43000 Bjelovar
Tel: 043/279-222
http://www.obbj.hr/
[email protected]
Dubrovnik
Roka Mišetića 2
20000 Dubrovnik
Tel: 020/431-777
http://www.bolnica-du.hr/
[email protected]
Gospić
Kaniška 111
53000 Gospić
Tel: 053/572-433
http://www.obgospic.hr/
[email protected]
Karlovac
Andrije Štampara 3
47000 Karlovac
Tel: 047/608-100
http://www.bolnica-karlovac.hr/
[email protected]
Ogulin
Bolnička 38
47300 Ogulin
Tel: 047/819-700
http://www.bolnica-ogulin.hr/
[email protected]
Pula
Aldo Negri 6
52100 Pula
Tel: 052/376-500
http://www.obpula.hr/
[email protected]
Šibenik
Stjepana Radića 83
22000 Šibenik
Tel: 022/641-900
http://www.bolnica-sibenik.hr/
[email protected]
Varaždin
I. Meštrovića bb
42000 Varaždin
Tel: 042/393-000
http://www.obv.hr/
[email protected]
Vinkovci
Zvonarska 57
32100 Vinkovci
Tel: 032/349-349
http://www.obvk.hr/
[email protected]
Virovitica
Ljudevita Gaja 21
33000 Virovitica
Tel: 033/747-444
http://www.bolnica-virovitica.hr/
[email protected]
Zabok
Bračak 8
49210 Zabok
Tel: 049/204-000
http://www.bolnica-zabok.hr/
[email protected]
Zadar
Bože Peričića 5
23000 Zadar
Tel: 023/505-505
http://www.bolnica-zadar.hr/
[email protected]
Našice
Bana Jelačića 10
31500 Našice
Tel: 031/488-511
http://www.bolnica-nasice.hr/
[email protected]
Požega
Osječka 107
34000 Požega
Tel: 034/254-555
http://www.pozeska-bolnica.hr/cms/index.php
[email protected]
Vukovar
Županijska 35
32000 Vukovar
Tel: 032/452-111
http://www.ob-vukovar.hr/
[email protected]
Čakovec
I. G. Kovačića 1E
40000 Čakovec
Tel: 040/375-444
http://www.bolnica-cakovec.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospitals
“Biokovka” Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation
Put Cvitačke 9
21300 Makarska
Tel: 021/602-200
http://www.biokovka.hr/
[email protected]
“Kalos” Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation
Obala 3 br. 3
20270 Vela Luka
Tel: 020/755-100
http://www.kalos.hr/
[email protected]
Hospital for Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation
Ulica Luigi Monti 2
52210 Rovinj
Tel: 052/811-011
http://bolnica-rovinj.hr/
[email protected]
Children’s Hospital Srebrnjak
Srebrnjak 100
10000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/6391-100
http://www.bolnica-srebrnjak.hr/
[email protected]
Neuropsychiatric Hospital Popovača
Jelengradska 1
44317 Popovača
Tel: 044/569-200
http://npbp.hr/v2/
[email protected]
Psychiatric Hospital
Jankomir 11
10000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/3430-000
http://pbsvi.hr/
[email protected]
Psychiatric Hospital
Šumetlica 87
35 404 Cernik
Tel: 035/386-700
http://www.bolnicasvetirafael.eu/
[email protected]
Psychiatric Hospital
Lopača 11
51218 Dražice
Tel: 051/652-200
http://www.pbl.hr/
[email protected]
Psychiatric Hospital
Kampor 224
51280 Rab
Tel: 051/776-344
http://www.bolnicarab.hr/
[email protected]
Psychiatric Hospital
Otočkih dragovoljaca 42
23 275 Ugljan
Tel: 023/208-200
http://www.pbu.hr/
[email protected]
Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Youth
Ivana Kukuljevića 11
10000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/4862-501
http://www.djecja-psihijatrija.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Chronic Children’s Diseases
Bolnička 21
10298 Gornja Bistra
Tel: 01/339-0018
http://www.bolnica-bistra.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation “Naftalan”
Omladinska 23a
10310 Ivanić Grad
Tel: 01/2834-555
http://www.naftalan.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation “Daruvarske Toplice”
Julijev park 1
43500 Daruvar
Tel: 043/623-000
http://www.daruvarske-toplice.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Krapinske Toplice
Gajeva 2
49217 Krapinske Toplice
Tel: 049/383-100
http://www.sbkt.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Lipik
Marije Terezije 13
34551 Lipik
Tel: 034/440-700
http://www.bolnica-lipik.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Stubičke Toplice
Park Matije Gupca 1
49244 Stubičke Toplice
Tel: 049/201-000
http://www.bolnicastubicketoplice.com/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Varaždinske Toplice
Trg Slobode 1
42223 Varaždinske Toplice
Tel: 042/630-000
http://www.minerva.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Orthopaedic Diseases Biograd na Moru
Zadarska 62
23210 Biograd na moru
Tel: 023/206-050
http://www.ortopedija-biograd.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Pulmonary Diseases
Rockefellerova 3
10000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/4684-400
http://www.pulmologija.hr/Navigacija/ONama
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Long-Term Treatments
Jozefa Jeruzalema 7
47250 Duga Resa
Tel: 047/844-207
http://www.bolnica-dugaresa.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Children with Neurological and Motoric Diseases
Goljak 2
10000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/4925-211
http://www.sbgoljak.hr/
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Thalassotherapia Crikvenica
Gajevo šetalište 21
51260 Crikvenica
Tel: 051/407-666
http://www.thalasso-ck.hr/home.asp?language=hr&akcija=gohome&id=0
[email protected]
Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Thalassotherapija Opatija
Maršala Tita 188/1
51410 Opatija
Tel: 051/202-600
http://www.thalassotherapia-opatija.hr/
[email protected]
Where to find spas and rehabilitation centres?
Bizovačke Toplice
Sunčana 39,
31222 Bizovac
Tel: 031/685-340
http://www.bizovacke-toplice.hr/hr-hr/lječilište.aspx
[email protected]
Topusko
Trg bana J. Jelačića 16
44415 Topusko
Tel: 044/886-666
http://www.ljeciliste-topusko.hr
[email protected]
Veli Lošinj
Pod javori 27
Veli Lošinj
Tel: 051/236-111
http://www.ljeciliste-veli-losinj.hr/
[email protected]
Emergency medical institutes in Croatia by county
Bjelovar-Bilogora
Josipa Jelačića 13 C
43 000 Bjelovar
Tel: 043/225-823
Fax: 043/225-831
www.hitnabbz.hr
[email protected]
Brod-Posavina
Borovska 7
35 000 Slavonski Brod
Tel: 035/495-462
www.zhm-sb.hr
[email protected]
Dubrovnik-Neretva
Ante Šercera 4b
20 000 Dubrovnik
Tel: 020/332-806
www.zhm-dnz.hr
[email protected]
City of Zagreb
Heinzelova 88
10 000 Zagreb
Tel: 01/6302-920
www.hitna-pomoc-zg.hr
[email protected]
Istria
Zagrebačka ulica 30
52 100 Pula
Tel: 052/216-820
http://www.hzhm.hr/wp/zavod-za-hitnu-medicinu-istarske-zupanije/
[email protected]
Karlovac
dr. Vladka Mačeka 48
47 000 Karlovac
Tel: 047/804-032
www.zzhm-kz.hr
[email protected]
Koprivnica-Križevci
Trg dr. Tomislava Bardeka 10
48 000 Koprivnica
Tel: 048/641-250
www.hitna-kckz.hr
[email protected]
Krapina-Zagorje
dr. Mirka Crkvenca 1
49 000 Krapina
Tel: 049/373-411
www.hitna-kzz.hr
[email protected]
Lika-Senj
Kaniška 111/a
53 000 Gospić
Tel: 053/560-756
http://www.hzhm.hr/wp/zavod-za-hitnu-medicinu-licko-senjske-zupanije/
[email protected]
Međimurje
Ivana Gorana Kovačića 1e
40 000 Čakovec
Tel: 040/313-035
www.zhm-mz.hr
[email protected]
Osijek-Baranja
Josipa Huttlera 2
31 000 Osijek
Tel: 031/531-301
http://www.zzhm-obz.hr/o-nama
[email protected]
Požega-Slavonia
Matije Gupca 10
34 000 Požega
Tel: 034/311-924
www.hitna-psz-hr
[email protected]
Primorje-Gorski Kotar
Branka Blečića bb
50 000 Rijeka
Tel: 051/554-160
www.zzhm-pgz.hr
[email protected]
Sisak-Moslavina
Ulica 1. svibnja bb
44 000 Sisak
Tel: 044/530-481
www.zhm-smz.hr
[email protected]
Split-Dalmatia
Spinčićeva 1
21 000 Split
Tel: 021/540-906
www.zhm-sdz.hr
[email protected]
Šibenik-Knin
Karla Vipauca 8
22 000 Šibenik
Tel: 022/244-818
http://zhm-skz.hr/component/content/?view=featured
[email protected]
Varaždin
Franje Galinca bb
42 000 Varaždin
Tel: 042/262-287
www.zhm-vz.hr
[email protected]
Virovitica-Podravina
Ljudevita Gaja 21
33 000 Virovitica
Tel: 033/722-710
http://www.zhmvpz.hr/
[email protected]
Vukovar-Srijem
Kralja Zvonimira 53
32 100 Vinkovci
Tel: 032/300-501
www.zzhm-vsz.hr
[email protected]
Zadar
Ivana Mažuranića 28
23 000 Zadar
Tel: 023/627-180
Fax: 023/627-185
www.zhmzz.hr
Zagreb County
Matice hrvatske bb
10 410 Velika Gorica
Tel: 01/6269-660
http://www.zagrebacka-zupanija.hr/zavod_za_hitnu_medicinu
[email protected]
