The statutory on-call medical service in Berlin is the outpatient care organised by the Kassenärztliche Vereinigung Berlin for statutory health insurance patients with acute but non-life-threatening conditions, available nationwide under the uniform number 116 117 and reachable around the clock. This guide consolidates what is available in Berlin outside office hours: how 116 117 works, where the urgent care and on-call clinics are located, when they are open, what to bring, what is done on site, what waiting times to expect, and when a private medical house call is the more sensible choice.
What the On-Call Medical Service Is
The on-call medical service provides outpatient medical care for statutory health insurance patients outside regular office hours, when normal practices are closed. Organisation and provision are the responsibility of the Regional Medical Associations of each state; in Berlin this is the KV Berlin. The service must be clearly distinguished from emergency medical services with ambulance and emergency physician: those are reached via the emergency number 112 and are intended for life-threatening conditions such as heart attack, stroke, severe shortness of breath, or uncontrollable bleeding. Calling 116 117 is free for callers, and the call centre is staffed 24 hours a day.
When 116 117 Is Responsible, and When 112 Is
The number 112 is always the correct choice if a condition is potentially life-threatening, acutely and dangerously deteriorates, or involves a severe injury. The number 116 117 applies when an illness requires acute treatment but is not life-threatening and would normally be treated by a general practitioner or specialist whose practice is currently closed. This includes febrile infections, uncomplicated gastrointestinal complaints, acute urinary tract infections, earache, non-threatening pain, or the extension of an urgently needed prescription. In life-threatening situations, neither the on-call clinic nor a private medical service is responsible, only the ambulance service via 112.
How a Call to 116 117 Proceeds
After the call, the degree of urgency is determined in a telephone-based medical preliminary assessment. Depending on the case, telephone medical advice may be provided, referral to an on-call clinic may be offered, or a home visit may be organised; if signs of a life-threatening situation are indicated, the ambulance service is activated. It is important that the assessment is made via the telephone service and not by the caller themselves, an honest description of symptoms helps to find the appropriate form of care. A statutory home visit is arranged only when the patient is verifiably not transportable; anyone able to attend the clinic is generally referred there.
What an On-Call Clinic Is
An on-call clinic (also called an urgent care clinic, emergency practice, or walk-in clinic) is a medical practice open in the evenings, at weekends, and on public holidays to treat acute patients without an appointment on an outpatient basis. In Berlin, these clinics coordinated by KV Berlin are mostly located on the grounds of larger hospitals but operate independently of the hospital emergency department. They are equipped like normal practices, with treatment rooms, a waiting area, reception, and general medical equipment. They are intended to absorb patients who would otherwise go to hospital even though treatment is possible on an outpatient basis, for a non-emergency you are usually better placed there than waiting for hours among serious cases in a crowded emergency department.
Where the On-Call Clinics in Berlin Are Located
Berlin currently has six adult locations (general and internal medicine) distributed across the city. These include, among others:
- Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf: DRK Kliniken Berlin Westend, Spandauer Damm 130, 14050 Berlin
- Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg: Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain, Landsberger Allee 49, 10249 Berlin
- Marzahn-Hellersdorf: Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin in Biesdorf, Warener Str. 7, 12683 Berlin
- Mitte (Wedding): Jüdisches Krankenhaus Berlin, Heinz-Galinski-Str. 1, 13347 Berlin
- Neukölln: Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, Rudower Straße 48, 12351 Berlin
- Steglitz-Zehlendorf: Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin
For children and adolescents there are separate paediatric on-call clinics, for example at DRK Kliniken Westend (Spandauer Damm 130), Sana Klinikum Lichtenberg (Fanningerstraße 32, 10365 Berlin), Charité Virchow-Klinikum (Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin), Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln (Kormoranweg 45), and St. Joseph-Krankenhaus Tempelhof (Wüsthoffstr. 15, 12101 Berlin). Locations and addresses can change; the up-to-date list of open clinics is published by KV Berlin via 116 117 or at 116117.de.
Opening Hours of the On-Call Clinics
The on-call clinics are not open around the clock but are staffed specifically during the hours when practices are closed. On working days they generally open from the early evening, and on Wednesdays and Fridays already from the early afternoon, when many regular practices close. On Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays they are open all day, typically from around 9 a.m. to 8 or 9 p.m. During the night hours between midnight and 8 a.m. no clinic operation is provided; in this period 116 117 remains reachable and can arrange a home visit if medically necessary or refer to a hospital in an emergency.
Without an Appointment: Procedure and What to Bring
You use the on-call clinic without prior registration: you arrive during opening hours, register at reception, and present your health insurance card. It is also sensible to bring a list of the medications you take and any available test results. You then wait until you are called; if your condition worsens while waiting, inform the staff, who prioritise urgent cases. For statutory health insurance patients no additional treatment costs arise, billing runs through the health insurance, and only the standard copayments, such as for medications, remain. Anyone accompanying a sick child should plan something to keep the child occupied and a drink for the wait.
What Is Done at the On-Call Clinic
The physicians there can carry out the same general medical examinations and treatments as a regular practice. These include auscultation, throat inspection, blood pressure and blood sugar measurement, small laboratory tests such as a CRP or urine quick test, wound care, ECG, and injections. Where needed, medications are administered directly on site, for example fever suppositories for children or inhaled agents. Prescriptions, referrals, and a certificate of incapacity for work can be issued; if the examination reveals a need for further treatment, admission to hospital follows with a physician's letter. The clinics are intended for acute cases, routine check-ups, screenings, vaccinations, or repeat prescriptions belong in the GP practice.
Typical Waiting Times
Waiting times depend heavily on the time: Friday evenings, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays are the periods of highest demand, particularly in the winter months with clustered respiratory illnesses and febrile infections. During these phases, waiting times of several hours at the on-call clinics are not the exception. For home visits by the statutory service, deployment is scheduled according to medical urgency, so less urgent cases may wait for hours during off-peak times. This reality is not a criticism of the system but a consequence of a care structure in which relatively few physicians must care for many patients in a short time.
When Waiting Is Not Possible, The Private Medical House Call
In situations where a several-hour wait is incompatible with the symptoms, where a sick person is not easily transportable, or where planned care at home is desired, a private on-call medical service is the structurally superior option. It operates independently of the statutory system exclusively via house call, without a waiting room, without travel, and without the infection risk of a full waiting area. The typical arrival time is 60 to 90 minutes; the examination takes place in familiar surroundings, and prescriptions as well as a certificate of incapacity for work are issued directly on site if medically indicated. This option is most frequently chosen for acute complaints on the weekend, for acutely ill children, or when English-speaking care is needed.
Costs: Statutory Versus Private
For statutory health insurance patients, using the on-call medical service typically incurs no direct costs; the standard copayments, such as for medications, remain. For a private medical house call, billing follows the physician fee schedule (GOÄ); the amount depends on time of day, scope of examination, and individual services provided. Privately insured patients have the costs reimbursed according to their individual tariff, those eligible for government contributions submit the bill to their carrier, and self-paying patients as well as statutory patients with supplementary insurance bear or reclaim the costs directly.
Frequently Asked Questions About the On-Call Medical Service in Berlin
Does calling 116 117 cost anything?
No, calling 116 117 is free for callers and the call centre is staffed around the clock. For statutory health insurance patients, services from the on-call medical service typically involve no additional treatment costs; only the standard copayments apply, such as for medications.
Do I need an appointment for the on-call clinic?
No, the on-call clinic is visited without prior registration. You arrive during opening hours and identify yourself with your health insurance card; a list of medications and any test results are useful. A preliminary telephone assessment via 116 117 helps to find the appropriate clinic that is open.
What is the difference between 112 and 116 117?
112 is the emergency number for life-threatening emergencies with ambulance and emergency physician. 116 117 is the on-call medical service for acute but non-life-threatening complaints outside regular office hours and can refer you to an on-call clinic or a home visit.
Can I get a home visit through 116 117?
Home visits by the statutory service are possible but are prioritised by urgency and generally carried out only when transportability is verifiably lacking; during high demand arrival may be delayed. Those needing a planned, short arrival time may alternatively use a private medical house call, typically within 60 to 90 minutes.
Can I call 116 117 as a private patient?
Yes, 116 117 is generally available to everyone. Privately insured patients and self-payers also have access to a private on-call medical service, which is particularly recommended when a short and predictable arrival time via house call is the priority.
What do I bring when coming with a sick child?
Besides the child's health insurance card and an overview of medications, it is advisable to bring something to keep the child occupied and a drink for the wait. Berlin has dedicated paediatric on-call clinics, for example at DRK Kliniken Westend, Sana Klinikum Lichtenberg, and Charité Virchow-Klinikum.
Factual Note on Use
For a private medical assessment with a house call in Berlin, RAB Private On-Call Medical Service is available daily from 6 a.m. to midnight at +49 30 550 77 870. The typical arrival time is 60 to 90 minutes; prescriptions and certificates of incapacity for work are issued on site if medically indicated. Online appointment booking can be found at Online booking. In case of signs of acute danger to life, only the ambulance service via the emergency number 112 is the appropriate contact.