Question · House call preparation Berlin
What should I have ready for a doctor's house call in Berlin?
Short answer: for "What should I have ready for a doctor's house call in Berlin?", RAB Arztbesuche sends a licensed physician on a private home visit anywhere in Berlin — daily from 6 am to midnight, usually within 60 to 90 minutes.
Have ready: insurance card or private-insurance policy, current medication list, vaccination booklet, maternity record if pregnant, recent findings, a quiet bed and good light, and a support person who can interpret or supplement. Thirty minutes of preparation save time.
Medically reviewed by Susanne Reiche · Last reviewed
Short answer
Have ready: insurance card or private-insurance policy, current medication list, vaccination booklet, maternity record if pregnant, recent findings, a quiet bed and good light, and a support person who can interpret or supplement. Thirty minutes of preparation save time.
How to prepare practically
A well-prepared house call is medically better and calmer for everyone. Start by setting up a quiet examination spot: ideally the bed or sofa with enough room for examination, good lighting (daylight or a bright table lamp), water within reach and a bucket in case of nausea. Have these documents ready: insurance card or, for privately insured, the policy with member number, a photo ID (occasionally useful, especially in hotels), a current medication list with active substance, dose and timing (a list is more efficient than photos of packets), vaccination booklet if available, maternity record if pregnant, allergy passport if applicable.
Recent findings of the last weeks or months relevant to the current picture are gold: blood results, imaging, doctor letters, discharge summaries. With an electronic health record a screenshot is enough — paper folders often have the relevant items closer than expected. For chronic conditions, log sheets (blood pressure diary, glucose log, pain diaries) help us plan therapy. For very old or seriously ill patients a support person next to the patient is very useful — supplements history, interprets in cognitive impairment, is the key conversational partner for goals of care.
An honest ask: if pets live with you who will see us, please secure large dogs during the visit — we like animals, but an examination with an excited dog at the leg takes longer and is not comfortable for every patient. If you smoke, please air the room before we arrive — that helps auscultation. If the doorbell or door opener is tricky, tell us in advance — otherwise we lose minutes at the entrance. Please ensure the house number and doorbell name are visible. These small things add up and decide between a calm half hour and a hectic visit.
Example: prepared senior house call
A 78-year-old in Wedding with known comorbidities (CAD, diabetes, atrial fibrillation on warfarin) is registered by his daughter. She has prepared a medication list (10 substances), the last cardiology letter from the previous quarter and a blood-pressure diary of the last two weeks lying ready. Father is in bed, a table lamp next to him, the coffee table cleared. We can work efficiently from the start: history with daughter and patient, exam, pulse oximetry, rhythm strip (portable device), diagnosis and plan. Total duration 38 minutes — calm, careful, no hectic search for papers. That is the difference 20 minutes of preparation make.
Checklist: ready before the doorbell
- Insurance card or PKV policy with member number.
- Current medication list (active substance, dose, timing) — a list is more efficient than the packets.
- Vaccination booklet, maternity record if pregnant, allergy passport if applicable.
- Recent findings if relevant: blood results, imaging, doctor letters.
- Quiet bed with light; for fall patients enough free movement space.
- Water, towel, possibly a bucket for nausea.
- Support person next to the patient — for cognitively impaired or seriously ill.
- Pass house number, doorbell name and any door code on the phone call.
Emergency? Dial the emergency number
If unconscious, with severe chest pain, breathlessness or heavy bleeding, dial 112 immediately. Our service complements the emergency services — it does not replace them.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to fill anything in online beforehand?
Not with us — we take history on the phone and on site. The only thing that helps is jotting down the medication list in advance.
What if I do not have a medication list?
Then briefly collect the key packets on the table — we will compile it. A list is faster, packets are the backup.
Is the insurance card enough for billing?
For statutorily insured patients the card is not enough — we bill privately. For privately insured the name, insurer and member number suffice; card or policy is the quickest source.