Quo vadis 116117? Nationwide Overview of the Status Quo and Current Changes

Background The on-call service (emergency service) has been reachable under 116117 in Germany since 2012. Nevertheless, this number is almost unknown to most Germans. A literature review of emergency service has shown that information which can be found is often incomplete and unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to cover the status quo regarding 116117 at the federal level in Germany. Methods In February 2019 all physicians working with a statutory health insurance were asked to fill in an online survey. The survey was based on a literature review regarding emergency service and on-call service at the federal level in Germany. The questionnaire covered different areas. In this paper only results regarding 116117 will be reported. Data were analyzed descriptively. Results The organization and range of services as well as the qualifications of the staff are structured differently at the federal level. Services provided by 116117 are arrangements for home visits, out-of-hours service appointments, consulting, and forwarding to 112. Staff includes physician assistants, nurses, and physicians. Conclusion Standardized regulations at the federal level might improve transparency. The planned extension of 116117 to include a standardized initial medical assessment as well as 24/7 accessibility could facilitate patient access to adequate medical treatment.