Some situations make it nearly impossible to visit a practice or clinic yourself – such as high fever with weakness, severe pain on movement, or if a patient is bedridden. In such cases, a house call from a physician is an option. Many ask themselves: "Which doctor makes house calls?" – The answer: the medical emergency service and some general practitioners upon request.
House Call via the Emergency Medical Service (116117)
Outside of office hours, the emergency dispatch centre at 116117 provides a mobile emergency doctor, if your health condition does not allow you to visit the practice. Tell them clearly on the phone: "I cannot leave the house and need a house call." The staff will then ask specifically whether a visit is medically necessary and will send an on-duty doctor to you. This doctor usually arrives within a few hours (depending on workload and urgency, average waiting time 1–2 hours). Berlin is divided into sectors so that travel distances are not too long, and in the evenings and on weekends, up to 25–30 mobile doctors are on the road simultaneously. Costs: The house call through the statutory medical emergency service is free of charge for insured persons; your health insurance covers the treatment. There is no longer an earlier emergency service fee of €10. Important: Have your health insurance card ready – the doctor needs it just as in the practice.
The emergency doctor examines you at home and has a doctor's bag with important equipment (bandages, some medications, syringes, etc.). He or she can – similar to your general practitioner – issue prescriptions, administer medications (e.g., an antipyretic injection), and even issue a medical certificate of incapacity for work if necessary. After the visit, you will receive advice on further care. Often this single visit is sufficient; sometimes the doctor recommends seeing your general practitioner the next working day for a follow-up check. Should it turn out during the house call that there is indeed a serious emergency (e.g., suspected heart attack or appendicitis), the doctor can arrange immediate hospital admission or call the emergency services (112).
Private House Call Doctors
In addition to the public emergency medical service, there are also private house call doctor services in Berlin. These are available around the clock and will come at your request during the day as well, but charge a fee for it. Such offers typically cater to private patients or self-payers who want particularly fast service. As a statutory insurance holder, you must bear the costs yourself, as your health insurance does not cover this. For example: We offer house calls in Berlin – privately insured patients pay nothing extra (the bill is covered by private insurance), whereas self-payers can expect to pay around €150–200 per visit. These prices are based on the official fee schedule for doctors (GOÄ). Other private providers have similar prices. For children, there is for example the KinderarztRuf service, where a house call costs €100–180 depending on the time of day. Before using such a service, you should check whether your insurance might reimburse something – but usually only privately insured persons get the costs back. Many of these private doctor services advertise that they arrive on site in 90 minutes or even faster, while the public emergency service may take a bit longer depending on demand. So consider how urgent it is and whether you are willing to bear the costs privately, or whether the free statutory medical emergency service is sufficient.
House Call from Your General Practitioner
Some general practitioners also offer house calls for their regular patients – for example, for elderly patients or in rural outlying areas. In Berlin, this is less common, but you can ask at your practice. If your general practitioner does make house calls, this usually happens by appointment and only if the patient is not mobile. The billing is handled regularly through the insurance scheme when the doctor comes. However, it may be that general practitioners rarely have time for house calls due to full practices. Therefore, the organised emergency medical service doctors are often the faster solution, especially in the evenings or at weekends.
In Summary
You can have a doctor come to your home by either using the free emergency medical service 116117 (if medically necessary) or hiring a private house call service (for a fee). Do not hesitate to request a house call if needed – healthcare at home is part of medical emergency provision in Berlin. The advantage: You are treated in your familiar environment, receive prescriptions and medical certificates on the spot, and do not have to travel while ill. For many immobile or seriously ill people, a house call from a physician is a blessing and often the only way to receive prompt care.
Not Always an Emergency Doctor – But Always RAB
For genuine emergencies, the emergency number (112) is essential – but many situations do not require emergency care, but rather quick and competent medical assessment. This is exactly where RAB comes in: our medical emergency service for Berlin connects you directly with specialist doctors, even outside office hours. You can reach us without detours, with real telephone support from Germany. No automated telephone systems – no hold queues. Just real help.