Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann of the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) government proposes a new approach to the deployment of ambulances. He criticizes the current system, in which ambulances are always sent to a hospital and are fully equipped for every call.
Laumann argues that this approach is not always necessary, as many cases can be treated on the scene and that this would reduce the number of unnecessary ambulance deployments. He also believes that this change would help to address the rising costs of ambulance services, which are a concern for health insurance companies.
According to the minister, the dispatch centers should be equipped to quickly determine whether a fully equipped ambulance is needed or if a regular car would suffice. He suggests that this decision should be made in conjunction with the emergency medical services provided by the 116 117 number.
Laumann hopes that the federal government will first reform the national ambulance law and then the NRW state will follow suit. He believes that this change would help to alleviate the overburdening of hospital emergency rooms, which is a current issue in the healthcare system.