How to call a hospital or doctor from abroad

You can call a hospital, clinic or doctor in another country by dialing its switchboard in your browser, at the per-minute price shown before you call. Use it to book an appointment, ask for records or check on a relative, over any Wi-Fi.

Make a call

First minute free to select destinations, with a verified email.

How it works

01If this is an emergency, stop here and use a mobile or landline phone to call the local emergency number. QuikRing cannot connect emergency calls.
02Find the number on the hospital's or clinic's own website or on your appointment letter, in the form used for callers from abroad.
03Check the hours there. Appointment desks and records offices keep office hours in their own time zone.
04Open QuikRing on Wi-Fi, type the number with its country code and check the price per minute before you call.
05Tap Call and use the on-screen keypad for the menu. The switchboard may ask for a department or an extension.
06Give the patient's name and date of birth and say why you are calling. Ask for the name of the person you speak to.
07Ask for appointments, prices and instructions to be confirmed by email, so you have them in writing.

How calling from your browser works

Practical tips

Booking or changing an appointment

Ask the reception for the exact date, time and address, and which documents or insurance details to bring. If the language matters, ask which languages the doctor speaks before you book.

Records, results and bills

Ask which department handles records and whether they need a written request or an identity check. Many hospitals release records only to a verified patient, so note exactly what they ask for.

Calling about a relative who is a patient

Staff may share information only with people the patient has approved. Have the patient's full name and date of birth ready and be prepared to say how you are related. If staff can't say more by phone, ask who can.

Insurance and assistance lines

If you have travel insurance, its assistance line may be able to arrange direct payment with a hospital. Call that number from QuikRing too, with your policy number at hand.

Switchboard, ward or department

The switchboard routes your call. Ask for the department or ward you need by name, and ask whether it has a direct number you can use next time: it saves a transfer and the minutes that go with it. Many hospitals keep separate lines for appointments, records and billing, so say which one you need.

Extensions and keypad menus

A switchboard may ask you to enter an extension. Wait until the call is answered, then tap the extension on the on-screen keypad. Keys typed on a computer keyboard are not sent to the call, and the keypad is grayed out while the line is still ringing.

Calling about a relative who is abroad

Ask the switchboard when the ward gives information and takes calls from family, and call inside those hours. Note the name of each person you speak to and what they said, so the next call starts where the last one ended. Calling a relative's own mobile number works like any other call, and the dialer shows its price first.

Before you dial

The full number with its country code, copied from the official website of the place you are calling, your card or the booking email.
Enough credit for a long call. Once the line is answered, a recorded menu and hold music are billed like talk time.
A quiet place and, if you have one, a headset, so you can hear a recorded menu clearly.
What the other side will ask for, such as a booking reference, an account number or a name, and a pen or a notes app.

Menus, holds and the keypad

Large companies and offices usually answer with a recorded menu. The keypad on the screen is grayed out while the line rings. Once the call is answered, tap the keys on the screen to choose an option. Digits typed on a computer keyboard are not sent to the call.

To reach an extension, dial the main number, wait until it is answered, then enter the extension on the on-screen keypad.

The dialer shows roughly how much time your balance covers and warns you in the last minute. If you top up during the call, the extra time is added.

What it costs

A ⁨10⁩-minute call to a hospital switchboard (a landline) in ⁨Germany⁩ costs ⁨$0.60⁩, at ⁨$0.06⁩ per minute. You see the price before you click Call.

Prices checked ⁨⁨November 1, 2026⁩⁩.

All country rates →

If it does not connect

Check the country code and the digits, and drop a leading 0 after the code. The dialer tells you when a number does not look right.
Busy, unanswered and failed calls are never charged, so you can try again straight away.
If it rings out, check the time there. Desks and offices are closed at night.
Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, close other apps that use the microphone, or run the connection test under Free tools.
Toll-free numbers of other countries (0800, 1800 and similar) usually cannot be reached from abroad. Look for their regular number with an area code. US and Canadian toll-free numbers can be called.
Still stuck? Write to support with the number and roughly when you called.

Frequently asked questions

Can I call a hospital switchboard number, not just a mobile line?

Yes — QuikRing calls any real phone number, landline or mobile, including hospital and clinic switchboards.

Can I use QuikRing in a medical emergency?

No. QuikRing can't call emergency numbers such as 911, 112 or 999; they are blocked. For an emergency use a mobile or landline phone.

Are calls to a hospital private?

Calls are encrypted between your browser and our calling network, and recording is off unless you turn on call recording in Settings. On public Wi-Fi, keep sensitive details for a network you trust.

What if I am on hold for a long time?

Hold time is billed like talk time once the line is answered, per started minute. The dialer shows roughly how much time your balance covers and warns you in the last minute.

Can the clinic call me back?

QuikRing receives calls only on a number you rent. Give the clinic a number that can ring you now, such as your own mobile or a number you rent from your dashboard.

Can I call a clinic's 0800 or 1800 number from abroad?

Usually not. Toll-free numbers of most countries can't be reached from outside their own country, so ask for the clinic's regular number with an area code. US and Canadian toll-free numbers can be called.

Does the clinic need an app or an internet connection?

No. Their phone rings like any other call, so a landline or a basic phone works.

Can I call a hospital at night?

You can dial at any time you are online, but switchboards and appointment desks keep their hours in their own time zone. The dialer tells you when it is late or early at the destination, so you don't spend minutes on a line nobody staffs.

Good to know

Calls are billed per started minute, at the rate shown before you dial. There is no connection fee.
Busy, unanswered and failed calls cost nothing.
The person you call needs no app, no internet connection and no smartphone: their phone rings like any other call.
QuikRing can't call emergency numbers such as 911, 112 or 999. Use a mobile or landline phone for those.