Acute symptoms · Berlin
Acute wound care
Acute wound care is an acute medical condition that RAB Arztbesuche treats with a licensed physician on a home visit anywhere in Berlin — daily from 6 am to midnight, usually within 60 to 90 minutes.
A cut while cooking, a scalp laceration after a fall, a smaller laceration on the finger — such wounds need care without hours of waiting in an ER. Our specialist physicians come daily from 6 am to midnight to your home or hotel, clean the wound, close it and vaccinate if needed.
Medically reviewed by Susanne Reiche · Last reviewed
Acute wound care in Berlin — the house call saves hours
Smaller cuts, lacerations and scalp wounds are among the most common reasons people go to the ER at night — and then wait several hours. For many of these cases the house call is the more efficient solution. We bring everything needed for outpatient care: sterile drapes, disinfectant, local anaesthetic, tissue glue, staples, suture material, sterile dressings and tetanus vaccine.
On the house call we assess the wound calmly, clarify the injury and decide with you whether outpatient care is safe or whether hospital — for depth, location or accompanying injury — is the right choice. This triage is itself valuable: we either save you the ER trip or accompany you to the right destination.
What happens during the house call
We check location, depth, contamination and accompanying injuries. We test sensation, motor function and perfusion distal to the wound. We then clean sterilely, anaesthetise locally with lidocaine and treat the wound by finding: smaller clean cuts with tissue glue or staple strips, lacerations with sutures. For deeper wounds, wounds in functionally relevant areas or with suspected tendon, nerve or vessel injury we direct to hospital. With every wound we check tetanus status and vaccinate if needed (tetanus vaccine is part of our standard kit).
Aftercare and complication management
We provide written care instructions: when the wound can get wet, when the dressing needs changing, when sutures will be removed. We name clear warning signs — redness, warmth, increasing pain, pus, fever — that warrant calling us back. As needed we arrange follow-up for suture removal or review. The doctor advises on individual antibiotic indication (not needed in most cases, exceptions being bites and heavily contaminated wounds).
How the house call works
On first contact we clarify the type of injury, time, location, depth, possible accompanying injuries and comorbidities (clotting disorder, anticoagulation). With clear emergency signs we direct you to 112 or a surgical ER. Otherwise we dispatch the next available specialist — typically a 60- to 90-minute arrival.
On site we treat the wound following the steps above, give tetanus vaccine if needed, document the finding in writing and hand over care instructions.
Billing and insurance
We bill according to the German private medical fee schedule (GOÄ) via our Privatärztliche Verrechnungsstelle. House call, wound care, local anaesthesia, tetanus vaccine and consumables are itemised separately. German private health insurance and Beihilfe schemes typically reimburse these positions in full.
We can issue an English invoice on request and remain reachable by phone for billing questions after the visit.
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.
Case profiles
Typical scenarios
Cut while cooking
A patient in Mitte cut a finger while slicing, about 3 cm long. We anaesthetise locally, clean, staple and give tetanus if needed.
Scalp laceration after a fall
An older patient in Zehlendorf has a scalp wound after a fall, without unconsciousness or neurological deficits. We treat the wound and monitor neurologically — with any findings we direct to hospital.
Small wound in a hotel before a business trip
A business traveller in a Charlottenburg hotel injures themselves on departure day. We close the wound with glue or staples so no suture removal is needed at the destination.
Dog bite on the forearm
A patient in Friedrichshain was bitten by a dog — smaller bite wound on the forearm. We clean very thoroughly, check tetanus and rabies prophylaxis and decide on antibiotics.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really suture or glue at home?
Yes. For many smaller wounds this is the right solution. We bring everything needed. For wounds that should not be managed at home we direct you to hospital.
What about the tetanus vaccine?
We always check and vaccinate on site if needed. Tetanus vaccines are part of our standard kit.
Who removes the sutures?
We arrange a follow-up — house call or your GP. With glue, removal is not needed.
Do I need an antibiotic?
Mostly not. Exceptions are bites, heavily contaminated wounds, wounds in diabetics or immunosuppressed patients. We decide on site.
Book now or call
Get in touch — we will arrange a doctor for your house call regarding Acute wound care.