Not all medical questions on weekends concern basic care. Sometimes it involves an expired prescription, or ENT-specific complaints such as severe ear pain or dizziness. This article provides a factual overview of these more specialized care situations.
Getting a Prescription on the Weekend – Is That Possible?
Yes. A physician can issue prescriptions as part of a house call or emergency service treatment – for ongoing medication that has run out, for acutely needed medications, or for medical devices. Issuing a prescription through the medical on-call service is medically and legally permissible, but requires a medical examination or at least a medically justified assessment.
RAB Berlin can issue prescriptions as part of a house call, provided the medical situation requires it. If you simply wish to renew an expired recurring prescription, you should describe this in advance by telephone so the physician can assess the situation beforehand.
ENT Emergency Service on the Weekend – What Applies to Ear, Nose, and Throat Complaints
Severe ear pain, sudden hearing loss, pronounced dizziness, or a foreign body in the ear – ENT-specific complaints often occur when specialist practices are closed. Specialized ENT emergency services exist in Berlin, but are not universally available and are often associated with long waiting times.
A private medical on-call service can assess and treat many ENT complaints as part of a house call. If bacterial ear infection, acute sinusitis, or pronounced sore throat with difficulty swallowing is suspected, a medical examination in a timely manner makes sense – RAB Berlin is a reliable alternative to the specialized ENT emergency service in these cases.
What the Medical On-Call Service Can Provide – and What It Cannot
The medical on-call service – whether statutory or private – is designed for outpatient care of acute, stable complaints. It can examine, diagnose, prescribe medications, issue prescriptions, and issue medical certificates of incapacity for work. What it cannot provide is imaging diagnostics such as CT or MRI, complex surgical procedures, or intensive care treatment. Should further diagnostics or hospital admission become necessary, this will be arranged by the treating physician. Further information can be found here.
Factual Notice Regarding Use
If you need medical care in Berlin outside regular practice hours – whether for a prescription, ENT complaints, or other acute illnesses – and no emergency situation exists, you can reach the private medical on-call service RAB Berlin by telephone daily between 6 and 24 o'clock at +49 30 550 77 870. Further information as well as the option to book an appointment directly can be found here.
As a rule, the house call is made within 60 to 90 minutes of your request.