General Terms and Conditions (GTC)
Practice Policies of Neuro Praxis Düsseldorf
Version: July 2026
1. Scope
These Practice Policies govern the treatment relationship between Neuro Praxis Düsseldorf and its patients, unless mandatory statutory provisions provide otherwise.
By scheduling an appointment or receiving medical treatment, a treatment contract is established between the patient and Neuro Praxis Düsseldorf in accordance with Sections 630a et seq. of the German Civil Code (BGB). These Practice Policies shall apply in addition to the statutory provisions.
2. Scope of Medical Services
Neuro Praxis Düsseldorf is a private neurological practice with a special focus on disorders of the autonomic nervous system and other complex neurological diseases.
As a general rule, the practice treats only adult patients aged 18 years or older.
In medically justified exceptional cases, adolescents aged 16 years or older may be examined following individual assessment. However, there is no entitlement to the conclusion or continuation of a treatment contract.
The practice does not provide pediatric neurology services and does not offer diagnostic programs or examinations specifically adapted for children or adolescents.
Acceptance of a patient for treatment is subject exclusively to the medical, organizational, and staffing capacities of the practice.
3. Structured Treatment Process
Neuro Praxis Düsseldorf follows a standardized treatment concept based on careful preparation and comprehensive neurological diagnostics.
Treatment generally consists of the following stages:
- Comprehensive initial medical history (anamnesis)
- Review and evaluation of previous medical records
- Planning of individually required diagnostic procedures
- Performance of diagnostic examinations
- Physician consultation to discuss the findings
- Development of individualized treatment recommendations
The type and scope of the required diagnostic procedures are determined exclusively according to medical criteria.
Patients are not entitled to individual examinations, isolated physician consultations, second opinions, or medical reports without the diagnostic procedures considered medically necessary by the practice.
The practice reserves the right to decline or discontinue examinations or treatment if appropriate medical care cannot be ensured due to insufficient patient cooperation or other circumstances.
4. Patient Responsibilities
Successful neurological diagnosis requires the active cooperation of the patient.
The patient agrees in particular to:
- provide complete and accurate information regarding symptoms, previous illnesses, and medications;
- submit all available medical records, laboratory reports, hospital reports, imaging findings, and other relevant documentation whenever possible;
- inform the practice of any changes in medication or health status;
- comply with preparation instructions for examinations (e.g., fasting, medication pauses, or dietary requirements);
- promptly notify the practice of any changes in address, telephone number, or email address.
Failure to provide necessary information or cooperation may significantly reduce the diagnostic value of the examinations. The practice accepts no responsibility for any resulting limitations.
5. Medical Fees and Billing
Medical services are billed in accordance with the current German Medical Fee Schedule (GOÄ).
Where no specific GOÄ fee code exists for modern medical procedures, billing will be carried out by means of analogue billing pursuant to Section 6(2) GOÄ.
Neuro Praxis Düsseldorf is legally obliged to bill all medically necessary services in accordance with the GOÄ.
Regardless of any reimbursement by insurance providers, the patient or designated payer remains the contractual partner and sole debtor of the practice.
Invoices are issued irrespective of whether costs are reimbursed by:
- private health insurance companies;
- civil service aid schemes (Beihilfe);
- foreign health insurers;
- supplementary insurance providers; or
- any other third-party payer.
The practice cannot guarantee full or partial reimbursement by any insurance provider or other payer.
6. Cost Estimates
Where medically or administratively appropriate, patients will receive an individual cost estimate before diagnostic or therapeutic services are performed.
Such services will generally only be carried out after the patient's explicit approval.
A cost estimate does not create any entitlement to further diagnostic or therapeutic measures.
7. Invoicing and Payment Terms
Invoices are generally issued after completion of the respective medical services.
For administrative purposes, the practice cooperates with the German Private Medical Billing Association (dgpar) or comparable professional billing service providers.
Unless otherwise agreed, invoices are payable within 14 days without deduction.
In the event of late payment, the statutory provisions shall apply.
The practice reserves the right to request reasonable advance payments, particularly from international patients, self-paying patients, or patients with a history of repeated short-notice cancellations.
8. Appointments
The practice operates strictly by appointment.
Each appointment is reserved exclusively for the individual patient.
This allows the practice to provide short waiting times while ensuring sufficient time for diagnostics and medical consultations.
Late arrival may result in examinations being shortened, postponed, or cancelled for organizational reasons.
9. Appointment Cancellation and Cancellation Fees
If you are unable to attend a scheduled appointment, we kindly request that you cancel at least 24 hours in advance.
Appointments may be cancelled by telephone (including voicemail), through our secure Online Reception, or by email.
For appointments scheduled on a Monday or on the first working day following a public holiday, cancellations must be received no later than the end of office hours on the preceding working day.
Cancellations received after office hours shall be regarded as late cancellations.
Where an appointment is cancelled too late or not attended without notice, the practice reserves the right to charge a cancellation fee pursuant to Section 615 German Civil Code (BGB), provided that the appointment could not be reassigned.
The cancellation fee is:
- €100 for an initial or follow-up medical history consultation;
- €200 for diagnostic appointments or physician consultations.
The patient remains entitled to demonstrate that no loss, or only a substantially lower loss, was incurred.
Repeated short-notice cancellations or repeated failure to attend appointments may result in future appointments being offered only against an appropriate advance payment or in the practice declining further treatment, unless prevented by mandatory legal obligations.
10. Communication
Our secure Online Reception is the preferred communication channel for the practice.
It is used in particular for:
- appointment scheduling,
- medical inquiries,
- transmission of medical documents,
- organizational communication, and
- secure document exchange.
Medical advice is generally not provided via unencrypted email.
The practice reserves the right to send organizational information by email or SMS where appropriate.
11. Medical Confidentiality and Data Protection
All personal and medical data collected during treatment are subject to medical confidentiality and are processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
Where necessary for treatment, physicians and appropriately authorized members of the practice team may access the medical record.
Such access is strictly limited to what is legally permissible and medically necessary.
12. Digital Systems and Artificial Intelligence
As part of patient care, the practice uses modern digital systems to support documentation, communication, appointment management, and practice administration.
These systems may include AI-assisted applications such as Heidi Health, MIKA, or comparable technologies.
Such systems are used exclusively in compliance with applicable data protection legislation and the physician's duty of confidentiality.
Artificial intelligence is used solely to support administrative, organizational, and documentation-related processes.
All diagnoses, therapeutic decisions, interpretation of medical findings, and other medical decisions are made exclusively by qualified healthcare professionals.
Like any software—and indeed like any human being—digital systems and AI applications may occasionally make errors. Therefore, all medically relevant information is reviewed and validated by qualified members of our clinical team.
No solely automated decision-making within the meaning of Article 22 GDPR takes place in our practice.
The digital systems employed form an integral part of the practice's quality management and treatment concept.
Should a patient expressly object to the use of these systems, the practice will assess on a case-by-case basis whether treatment remains feasible.
If the required standards of quality, documentation, or organization cannot reasonably be maintained under such circumstances, the practice reserves the right not to establish or to discontinue the treatment relationship, unless mandatory legal obligations require otherwise.
Further information about our digital and AI-supported systems is available on our website under:
"Digital Support, Data Protection and Artificial Intelligence at Neuro Praxis Düsseldorf."
13. Liability
The liability of the practice is governed by the applicable statutory provisions.
The practice accepts no responsibility for delays or limitations in treatment resulting from incomplete patient information, missing previous medical records, or failure to comply with examination preparation instructions.
The practice assumes no liability for reimbursement decisions made by private health insurers, civil service aid schemes, or any other third-party payer.
14. Acceptance of these Practice Policies
By scheduling an appointment, and in any event no later than the commencement of treatment, the patient confirms that they have read and accepted these Practice Policies.
15. Severability Clause
Should any provision of these Practice Policies be or become invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, the validity of the remaining provisions shall remain unaffected.
The invalid or unenforceable provision shall be replaced by the applicable statutory provision. Where no such statutory provision exists, the parties agree that a legally valid provision shall apply that most closely reflects the economic and legal purpose of the invalid provision.