General Practitioner

Not in practice. In Israel the term is "rofe mishpacha" (family doctor): the first-contact physician attached to your health fund who follows you over time and refers you to specialists. "GP" and "primary care doctor" describe the same role. A private general practitioner works outside the health fund system, with no waiting list, for a quick opinion or more personal follow-up.

To get an appointment fast, to have a longer consultation, to be seen in your own language, or for a second opinion. Newcomers who are not yet registered with a fund, tourists and visitors have no other option anyway. A private doctor can prescribe tests and medication; depending on your fund, some tests prescribed privately may need to be re-approved by your family doctor to be covered.

Fees vary with the practitioner, the city, the length and the setting (clinic, home visit, video). On RofeBeClick the price is shown on the doctor's profile before you book, with no service fee. A home visit or an evening consultation generally costs more.

General practice consultations are covered free of charge within your fund. Privately, reimbursement by supplementary insurance is rare for a GP (it mostly targets specialists), but some private or expatriate insurance plans reimburse against an invoice. Keep the invoice and the medical report.

Yes, that is one of the advantages of private care: some doctors visit homes or hotels for fever, an infection, a sick child or an elderly person, and others consult by video for a prescription renewal or a simple opinion. The consultation mode is shown on each RofeBeClick profile and the search can filter for home visits.

On RofeBeClick, spoken languages are listed on each profile and the general practitioner page is broken down by city. The search offers a language filter. For newcomers, a doctor who speaks English or French makes the first steps much easier: understanding a prescription, a sick note or a referral letter.

Yes. A doctor holding an Israeli licence can issue a medical certificate, a sick leave note (ishur machala) and a referral letter to a specialist. Some employers and health funds require the document to come from the fund's own family doctor: check if that applies to you.

Chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of stroke (drooping face, weak arm, slurred speech), loss of consciousness, heavy bleeding, high fever in an infant, an allergic reaction with swelling: call 101 or go to the emergency room. For the rest, moderate fever, sore throat, urinary infection, minor pain, repeat prescriptions, the GP is the right person, and many offer same-day slots.