The Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV) aims to expand the Arzthotline 116 117 into a central platform for booking specialist appointments. The KBV’s president, Andreas Gassen, told the New Osnabrück Newspaper that the hotline could serve as an alternative to general practitioners, pediatricians and gynecologists. Through the 116 117, he explained, a digital or telephonic medical initial assessment with the creation of a referral can be conducted. Gassen emphasized that this would be a highly automated and AI-supported service that would not miss any acute emergencies. “This must be a digital system, of course, with additional telephony. It must then become as reliable as a call to the police.”
The new federal government also views the Arzthotline 116 117 as an important tool in their planned patient steering system. Gassen promised that if the necessary financial support is provided by the government, the KBV will deliver and establish such a system as quickly as possible. Therefore, he called for swift negotiations to be initiated.
Gassen also noted that there may be limitations to the specialist booking through the 116 117: “In this medically justified referral, it would logically not always lead to the patient’s preferred specialist. Appointments would be offered where the next available slot is.” He added that those who do not want this could receive a referral through the 116 117 but would then have to find their own specialist – which would also be acceptable.