GP unreachable in Berlin

GP unreachable — the common reasons

The situation is everyday in Berlin: you have a GP you like, but right now access is impossible. The reasons vary — the practice is on a two-week holiday with only a substitute list, the GP is ill, the practice has frozen new appointments due to overload, the next slot is two weeks out, the line is constantly busy, the patient is new to Berlin without a regular practice yet, or the previous GP has retired. In all of these cases a gap opens — and that is what we are here for.

We see ourselves as a bridge, not a replacement. If you have a GP in Berlin you want to stay with that GP — we want that too. Our job is to treat the acute presentation at board-certified level, make the diagnosis, start treatment, issue the sick note, and write a clear physician's letter that your GP can take over seamlessly. We dock on, we do not displace.

Typical reasons with a blocked GP practice

Acute respiratory infections with sick-note need for the employer (most common), streptococcal angina, otitis in children, gastroenteritis with exhaustion, urinary infections, lumbago, migraine with vomiting, hypertensive crises in pre-existing patients, follow-ups after evolving symptoms, repeat prescriptions for chronic medication (only after examination and with letter to the GP), diagnosis confirmation before specialist referral. We can cover almost everything that the GP would handle — on site, with the same diagnostics.

Repeat prescriptions and chronic medication — what is possible

When a patient is on chronic medication (hypertension, thyroid, statin, asthma inhaler) and the prescription has run out because the GP is unreachable, we can issue repeat prescriptions after examination. Prerequisites: current examination (brief history, clinical assessment), known medication list (ideally with the last prescription from the regular practice), clinical tolerance check. We do this with a letter to the regular practice — the GP sees at the next visit what was prescribed when. We are not an online-prescription shop without examination; every prescription follows an on-site clinical assessment.

How a visit with a blocked GP practice works

You call. We record symptoms, address, GP and insurance. We give a realistic window. The physician calls before arrival. On site: history including comorbidities and current medication, thorough examination, targeted diagnostics (rapid tests, ECG, pulse oximetry as needed), clinical assessment.

You receive prescription, sick note if needed, physician's letter with history, findings, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up advice, and GOÄ invoice. On request we send the letter encrypted to your regular practice. If needed we organise specialist referral or hospital admission. We recommend clearly: once the acute situation is resolved, please return to your GP — we do not want to keep you as a regular patient.

GOÄ and reimbursement

Billing under the GOÄ via our Privatärztliche Verrechnungsstelle. Typical cost EUR 220 to 380 on weekdays, EUR 260 to 420 on weekends. PKV reimburses in full. Beihilfe reimburses likewise. Self-payers pay directly.

For statutory-insured patients our service is a private service. Individual-case reimbursement by the statutory insurer is sometimes possible but not standard — we say so transparently. For life-threatening emergencies: 112. For statutory on-call needs: 116117.