If you fall acutely ill today outside of regular office hours, you don't have to wait until tomorrow. In Berlin, the medical on-call service is available to you – accessible via the nationwide telephone number 116117 (no area code required, free of charge). Important: If this is a life-threatening situation (e.g., loss of consciousness, severe injuries, severe chest pain), call the emergency number 112 immediately. For all other urgent complaints, the rule of thumb is: If you would normally go to your general practitioner for it, but the treatment cannot medically wait until the next day, the on-call service is responsible. Typical cases include, for example, high fever, severe pain, or severe diarrhea outside of office hours.
How does the medical emergency service work?
You call 116117 and describe your symptoms to the medically trained staff of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV). Have important information ready for this (name, address, telephone number, age, and symptoms of the affected person). Based on your information, the dispatch center decides where you will be best treated. Either you will be given the contact details of an on-call practice near you, or – if necessary – a house call will be arranged. If your condition can already be assessed by telephone, you may receive medical advice over the phone. In any case, there are no costs for this service: treatment in the on-call service is covered by statutory and private health insurance providers.
Medical On-Call Practices in Berlin
In Berlin, the KV operates several emergency practices in hospitals that provide outpatient care outside of regular opening hours. You can go there without an appointment if this is recommended to you. These on-call practices relieve the burden on hospital emergency departments and are contact points for acute but non-life-threatening illnesses. Opening hours are uniformly regulated: for example, on weekends from morning to evening (approximately 9 AM–8 PM, varying seasonally). An appointment is usually not required; simply bring your insurance card with you. Via 116117, you will find out which emergency practice is open in your area. So you don't have to figure out which doctor is on call today – the on-call service handles the coordination centrally. (Tip: Some accidentally write "ärtlicher Notdienst" without the "z" – of course, what is meant is the medical on-call service.)
In Summary
For residents of Berlin, quick medical help is available at all times. Call 116117 to reach a doctor outside of office hours. You will either get an appointment at an on-call practice or, if necessary, a house call will be arranged. Don't hesitate to use this service when you urgently need medical help – it is available 24/7 and is free for patients.
Your Trusted Partner in Berlin: RAB
If you're looking for quick, reliable medical help outside regular office hours, RAB – the Berlin Medical On-Call Service – is the right place for you. With us, you won't reach a call center, but rather German telephone support that advises you in a friendly and competent manner via this number. Furthermore, we guarantee that you will be cared for exclusively by specialist physicians in Berlin – without detours, without international hotlines. Trust in medical care with quality and heart.