If you need medical help outside regular office hours in Berlin, you have several options. The private emergency medical service is one of them – and for many patients a more convenient, faster and more individual alternative to overcrowded emergency clinics. This article explains factually how a private emergency medical service works in Berlin, what it costs and who it is suitable for.
What is a private emergency medical service?
A private emergency medical service is an outpatient medical care service outside regular office hours. It is aimed at patients who need prompt medical assessment, but whose condition is stable and there is no immediate life-threatening risk. Unlike the publicly funded emergency medical service, the private emergency medical service is independently organised, operates with its own resources and typically comes directly to the patient as a house call.
The essential difference from the public emergency service lies not only in accessibility, but in the form of care: with the private emergency medical service, the house call is the standard offering – not an exception that needs to be justified, but the regular service.
Who is the private emergency medical service suitable for?
The private emergency medical service is generally open to everyone – regardless of whether they have private or statutory health insurance. It is particularly suitable for private patients who expect care according to the medical fee schedule, for self-paying patients who value fast and individual care, for business travellers and tourists without a regular family doctor in Berlin, and for those with statutory insurance and supplementary health insurance that covers private medical services.
Those who simply cannot or do not wish to visit an emergency clinic while sick and exhausted will also find a medically full-value and structurally superior alternative in the private emergency house call.
Private Emergency Medical Service Berlin – RAB as a Reliable Provider
RAB Berlin is a private emergency medical service that is available daily between 6 and 24 o'clock and provides house calls throughout Berlin. After telephone contact and a brief assessment of symptoms, the house call typically takes place within 60 to 90 minutes.
On site, a complete physical examination is performed, vital signs are checked and the further course of action is determined medically. If necessary, medications are prescribed, a medical certificate of incapacity for work is issued or further inpatient assessment is initiated. The examination takes place in familiar surroundings – in the home, hotel or workplace.
What can the private emergency medical service treat?
The private emergency medical service is designed for acute, but not life-threatening conditions. These include febrile infections, cold and flu symptoms, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal diseases, ear pain, sore throat with difficulty swallowing, acute pain conditions and worsening of known chronic illnesses. The issuance of a medical certificate of incapacity for work outside office hours is also part of the service.
For life-threatening conditions – including unconsciousness, suspected heart attack or stroke, severe shortness of breath or massive bleeding – the emergency services at 112 are exclusively responsible. More information about our services can be found here.
Private Emergency Medical Service Costs – What to Expect
The costs of a private emergency medical service are determined by the medical fee schedule (GOÄ). The actual amount depends on the time of day, day of the week and the scope of services provided. Evening, night and weekend surcharges are regulated within the framework of the GOÄ and are transparent and comprehensible.
Privately insured patients typically receive full reimbursement from their health insurance for costs. For self-paying patients and those with statutory insurance without supplementary coverage, direct costs arise, but many patients consider these justified in relation to the effort, waiting time and quality of care. If you have supplementary health insurance, you should check in advance whether private emergency house calls are included in the scope of benefits – this is often the case.
Important Note on Using the Service
If you need medical help in Berlin outside regular office hours and there is no acute emergency, you can reach the private emergency medical service RAB Berlin daily between 6 and 24 o'clock by telephone at +49 30 550 77 870. Further information and the option to book an appointment directly can be found here.
As a rule, the house call takes place within 60 to 90 minutes of your request.