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Hurray, help during the holidays! This is how you reach the on-call service!
Find out about the medical on-call service in Ostallgäu and Kaufbeuren on public holidays and how you can use it.
Hurray, help during the holidays! This is how you reach the on-call service!
The holidays are just around the corner, and with them the demand for medical services is increasing. In Kaufbeuren and Ostallgäu, citizens should contact the medical on-call service if their family doctor's practice is closed and it is not an acute emergency. The Allgäu newspaper reports that the Bavarian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVB) is expecting an increase in patient inquiries around the holidays. The on-call service is more common when a fever suddenly occurs, severe ear pain in children or when existing infections worsen.
But what exactly happens when you dial the number 116117? The patient service offers an initial medical assessment by trained employees. Callers are asked about their symptoms so they can receive the right support. The structured initial medical assessment (SmED) is used, which is intended to help better assess the state of health. Tips for best preparing for the call include having a means of contact with the patient, insurance card, and pen and paper ready for notes. Patience is required, as there may be waiting times when there are high call volumes. The service from KVB is available around the clock and is available in German.
Where should I go if I have an urgent complaint?
So what should you do if there are no acute, life-threatening symptoms? Many people don't know that calling 112 or the emergency room is not always the right choice when it comes to minor health problems. 116117 specializes in directing patients to the right place in these cases and therefore offers welcome help, especially during the holidays when many general practitioners' practices are closed.
The emergency medical service can rely on four on-call practices in Kaufbeuren and the surrounding area, which are open during the closing times of the other practices. This information is valuable, especially for those who are unsure whether their symptoms warrant a visit to the doctor. Kristina S.'s medical practice confirms that many people are unsure whether their symptoms actually constitute an emergency. Therefore, it is important to choose the right number and not use the wrong help.
Especially during the holidays it is necessary to relieve the burden on emergency rooms, as Dr. Peter M., who works in an emergency room, notes. He describes that many patients with non-acute symptoms choose to go to the hospital, which unnecessarily overloads the processes. It is therefore important to use the medical on-call service even in less acute cases.
A simple call to 116117 can make all the difference. Markus F. reported that he came across helpful information by googling the number and that he wanted to help not only himself, but also others. Therefore, take advantage of the opportunity to access the on-call service in good time and thus ensure efficient medical care during the holidays.