Illustration: Patients can reach the medical on-call service via the phone number 116117 – medical assistance outside regular practice hours.
If you suddenly become ill in the evening or on a weekend and cannot wait until the next appointment, the general practice on-call service (also called medical emergency service) in Berlin is there for you. Under the nationwide uniform phone number 116117, you can receive medical assistance around the clock in urgent but not life-threatening cases.
This means: If you have, for example, high fever, severe headaches or abdominal pain, an infection or similar acute symptoms outside practice hours, you can call 116117. For actual emergencies with life-threatening risk – such as heart attack, stroke, difficulty breathing, severe injuries – the rule remains: call 112 immediately and alert the emergency service.
How does the on-call service work?
When you call 116117, medically trained personnel from the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV) Berlin will answer. This staff will ask about your symptoms and situation. During the conversation, an assessment is made of what help is needed: Often you will receive medical advice directly by telephone. If an examination is necessary, you can either be directed to a duty practice or – if your condition does not allow you to leave the house – offered a house visit by the mobile on-call doctor. Important: 116117 is not a replacement for the emergency number – for serious accidents or life-threatening symptoms, you will be referred to 112 or it will be alerted by the control center.
Who is behind the medical on-call service?
In Berlin, the on-call service is organized by KV Berlin, which also represents the private practice doctors. Experienced doctors of all specialties from the region – usually general practitioners (general practitioners or internists), as well as pediatricians and others, as needed – are involved in the on-call service. These doctors provide the service in addition to their practice work to ensure that medical assistance is available outside of practice hours. For patients, this means: you will typically be treated by a qualified doctor from the surrounding area through the on-call service, similar to your general practitioner, just outside the usual hours.
Costs and Insurance
The use of the medical on-call service is free of charge for patients. If you are insured with a statutory or private health insurance company, the costs of treatment will be covered by your health insurance. The number 116117 is also toll-free – calls from landlines and mobile phones cost nothing. You can dial 116117 without an area code (throughout Germany). (Note: If it doesn't work from the mobile network, you can try it with Berlin's area code 030-116117, but that is normally no longer necessary.)
On-Call Service in Berlin and Brandenburg
This service exists throughout Germany – a total of around 800 duty practices are connected. Berlin has its own control centers and emergency practices (more on that later). The on-call service is also available in the surrounding area, i.e. in Brandenburg, via 116117. The organization there lies with KV Brandenburg, but callers won't notice the difference: 116117 is valid nationwide. Whether you call from Berlin-Mitte or from the Brandenburg surrounding area – you will be connected to the responsible control center, which will help you. In some regions there are special pediatric on-call services or specialist emergency services (e.g. for ophthalmologists), which can be inquired through the control center. In Berlin, for example, a children's on-call service is offered in the evenings and on weekends to care for sick children.
What cases does the on-call service handle?
Basically all acute illnesses for which you would normally see your general practitioner or specialist, but which occur when practices are closed. Typical examples: high fever and infections, chills, stomach flu with vomiting and diarrhea, severe headaches or back pain, severe colds or flu, minor injuries that don't warrant 112, acute complaints related to chronic diseases, etc. You can also contact the service for COVID-19 symptoms outside of practice hours or other suddenly occurring complaints. The idea is that patients do not have to wait until the next business day, but also don't unnecessarily visit hospital emergency departments. The medical on-call service fills this gap.
How to reach the service
Remember the number 116117 – "the number with the elevens" (memorable because "eleven" appears twice) – as the central point of contact. The control center in Berlin is staffed around the clock (24/7). You can call there at any time, even late at night, at night, on weekends and holidays. Many people are still not sufficiently familiar with the number: According to an ADAC survey in 2023, only about a third of the population could name 116117 correctly when asked. That's why the number is always being promoted – for example, it appears on many pharmacy windows or doctor signs. So don't hesitate to use this help, even today if you become acutely ill: the medical on-call service is available today and every day for you ("on-call service today" is not a hurdle – it exists every day).
House visit or practice?
After you contact 116117, there are two options for treatment: Either you will be sent to an on-call practice (if you are mobile and able to travel) or an on-call doctor will come to your home (medical house visit service) if you are not mobile. In Berlin, KV Berlin operates its own mobile house visit service, which travels in distinctly recognizable vehicles in magenta-pink/light blue with the inscription "116117". Up to 26 vehicles are simultaneously deployed in the city to care for patients at home – also referred to as "doctors on wheels". This service has a long tradition (in Berlin since 1968) and handles an average of over 400 house visits per working day and even ~700 house visits on weekends.
Good to know: Your health insurance company covers the costs; you incur no additional costs for a house visit either. However, waiting times for a house visit can be somewhat longer depending on workload – waiting times of one to four hours are possible, especially during peak times at night or on weekends. If your condition permits, you may therefore be asked to visit an on-call practice, as you can often be seen faster there.
Sick Leave Certificates and Prescriptions
Many patients wonder whether the on-call doctor can also issue a certificate of incapacity for work (sick leave) or prescribe medications. The answer is: Yes, within the scope of treatment, the on-call doctor can issue you a sick leave certificate if needed – for example, if you become ill over the weekend and your employer needs a certificate on Monday. The on-call doctor can also issue necessary prescriptions (such as antibiotics for severe tonsillitis) so you can get the medications from the pharmacy immediately.
However, the recommendation applies: Do not use the emergency service exclusively to obtain a sick leave certificate or prescription if it could medically wait. Such requests should ideally be handled during regular practice hours to keep the on-call service available for truly urgent cases. However, if you are acutely ill and need a certificate, you will of course receive help.
In Summary
In summary, the general practice on-call service in Berlin is your point of contact for all urgent illnesses outside regular practice opening hours. Don't hesitate to call 116117 if you feel unwell and need medical advice or assistance – competent doctors are standing by to help you, whether in the evening, at night or on the weekend.