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General University Hospital in Prague

Information in simple language (Easy to read)

• Welcome to the website of the General University Hospital in Prague.
• We use the abbreviation VFN Praha and are also called the Na Karláku hospital.

Who are we?

General University Hospital in Prague

• We are a large hospital, you can find us mainly in Prague 2, but some departments, surgeries and clinics are also in other locations in Prague.
• Here is the map: Map of VFN – General University Hospital in Prague

Contacts:

• Information: 224 961 111 – this will connect you to the department you want to call
• Emergency adult:

Phone: 224 962 209 (injuries, fractures, abdominal pain)

Phone: 224 962 928 (fever, breathing difficulties)

• Emergency children:

Phone: 224 967 777

• Maternity hospital:

Phone: 224 967 401

Quick help:

Do you need urgent help? Are you in need, in great pain, bleeding heavily, injured? Call the emergency services at 155 or the emergency line 112!

Address:

Our hospital is in multiple locations.

• Main hospital: U Nemocnice 499/2, Prague 2 (Karlovo náměstí)
• Children's Clinic: Ke Karlovu 11, Prague 2
• Maternity hospital: Apolinářská 18, Prague 2

Where to us?

Public transport – by city public transport:

Main hospital complex:

• By tram to the Na Moráni stop (5 minutes walk) – numbers 3, 10, 14, 16, 18, 24
• By metro on the yellow line B to the Karlovo náměstí station (5 minutes walk)
• Take bus no. 148 to the U Nemocnice stop (it is right next to the main entrance to the hospital). The bus runs from the IP Pavlova station (red metro line C) or from Karlovo náměstí from the Karlovo náměstí station (at the exit from the yellow metro line B)

Children's Clinic:

By bus number 148 from IP Pavlova station (red metro line C) to Dětská nemocnice Karlov station or on foot from IP Pavlova station – 10 minutes 

Maternity hospital:

By bus number 148 from IP Pavlova station (yellow metro line C) to Apolinářská station or on foot from IP Pavlova station (yellow metro line C) 10 minutes  

By car

• Parking directly at the hospital is limited. There are few parking spaces and parking fees are charged. Only those who have a ZTP card and a car with a ZTP card are exempt.

 Orientation in the hospital:

• You won't get lost in our hospital. You will find many signs and arrows to show you where to go.
• On the ground floor of each building there is information and staff who can advise you on how to get to your doctor or for an examination.
• There is an elevator in each building.

What are we doing?

• We treat sick people in the hospital.

What is a hospital?

• A hospital is a big house with lots of rooms and beds where sick people lie. These people are called patients.
• There are also doctors, nurses and orderlies in the hospital. They all take care of the sick so that they can recover.
• I will stay overnight in our hospital if I am very sick and need the doctors and nurses to take care of me. But we also have a building called the Polyclinic where specialist doctors work. I go there when my doctor gives me a request for an examination that he or she cannot do himself. The specialist doctor will examine me there and tell me what to do next.

Why do people go to the hospital?

• Some people are sick or injured and need help from doctors. People also come to the hospital because they need to be examined with a special device or need important treatment that can only be done in a hospital. Just like when a patient needs surgery.
• Sometimes a patient may need to go to the hospital very quickly – for example, if they have an accident, are badly injured, or their medication is not working. In this case, they may be taken to the hospital by ambulance.

What's going on at the hospital?

• Sick people come to the hospital for various reasons. Some have an illness, some are injured. Some just need a small, short treatment that can be done in one day. This is called outpatient treatment.
• But someone has to stay in a hospital bed overnight, or even for several days. This is called hospitalization. The patient is placed in a bed in a ward. There are many wards in a hospital and they have their own names. For example: eye, children's, heart, for the elderly, etc.

What is a teaching hospital?

• It is a hospital where the sick are treated. It is connected to a university. Students study at the university so that they can become doctors. Or nurses. They learn everything about the human body and diseases here and also work directly in the hospital, where they help doctors and nurses. For example, examining the sick, learning about diseases, prescribing medicines, taking care of patients.

Our clinics and departments:

• Patients have different diseases. And every part of the body can get sick. That's why doctors are experts so that they know as much as possible and can pay close attention to the sick part of the body.
• For example, an ophthalmologist knows everything about eye diseases. An ophthalmologist works in an eye clinic.
• The general teaching hospital has many different clinics and departments, so it can help almost all patients.
• Here you can find all clinics and departments: Clinics, institutes – General University Hospital in Prague (vfn.cz)

Where can I find my doctor at the hospital?

• The hospital has several buildings. Each doctor treats something different. There are signs everywhere that show where to go. I can also ask everywhere how to get to my doctor or for an examination. Someone will always help.

Is there a pharmacy in the hospital?

• A pharmacy is a place where I can get medicine with a doctor's prescription, or I can buy vitamins, creams, herbal teas, etc. It is in a building where adult patients are treated (blue color).
• Our hospital has 3 pharmacies – at the main entrance, in the polyclinic and in the urology clinic. They are marked with a green cross and can be found here: https://lekarna.vfn.cz/kontakt/

What happens in the hospital rooms?

• Each patient has their own bed, and there are more beds in the room and more patients sleep here. The patients are given food and drink.
• A doctor talks to the patients every day and nurses take care of them. They give them injections, change bandages, and help them to the toilet.
• There is a TV in the room.

What does a patient need to bring when staying on the ward?

• Recommendations from your doctor
• Health insurance card
• Your medications
• Pajamas
• Toothbrush
• Towel, soap
• Slippers
• Bathrobe

The lockers are not large, so don't bring too many things to the hospital.

Don't carry expensive things with you!

Will I have to pay anything at the hospital?

• Treatment during normal working hours is covered by health insurance, so you will not have to pay anything.
• You will pay a fee of CZK 90 for emergency treatment (on weekdays from 5 pm to 7 am and on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays all day and night).
• If you pick up medication at a pharmacy according to a doctor's prescription, you may have to pay a surcharge.

If I stay in the hospital, can I have visitors?

• Yes, you can have a visitor during your hospital stay.

What is prohibited from being brought into a hospital room?

• Guns, knives, animals, alcohol

Do you have any more questions?

Do you have any further questions about our hospital? Call our switchboard, we will be happy to help you. Phone: 224 961 111

You can also find a lot of things on our website: https://www.vfn.cz/pacienti/kliniky-ustavy/