Within the public system, standard and free health care is available first through the general practitioner who treats the patient or if necessary refers the patient to a specialist.
To have access to primary health care the Individual Health Card (TIS) is required or to have been granted approval for the request for health assistance. In the Basque Country, this assistance is offered by the Basque Health Service-Osakidetza, which has a network of public health centres.
There are also a number of private centres which are not generally free.
Durango has a number of public health centres and that is where the assigned doctor's or specialist's working times can be consulted.
The health centres also cover emergency cases between eight o’clock in the morning and five o’clock in the afternoon. Otherwise, urgent medical assistance is available.
Medical appointments can be made on-line or by calling the local health centre.
Medicines may be purchased at the chemist’s. Many of these require a medical prescription.
There are various discounts available on prescriptions issued in the public system depending on each person's particular situation (employed, pensioners, those receiving the Income Guarantee Grant…)
Medicines dispensed by private clinics are not entitled to any discount, and the full price must be paid.
Since the introduction of electronic prescriptions, a Medical Card must be presented at the chemist in order to receive the medication prescribed.
There are a number of night chemists open outside the normal schedule.