Overview
- The proposal directs the six integrated control centers to classify emergency calls by medical urgency, preserving a 12-minute target for life-threatening cases except in hard-to-reach areas.
- For non-urgent conditions, callers could wait longer, may be routed to the on-call medical service or acute care, and would not automatically be transported to hospital emergency departments.
- The Health Ministry will consult associations before sending the draft on from the cabinet to the state parliament, with the aim of passing a new emergency-services law by year’s end.
- Measures outlined include required alerting of app-registered first responders, options for telemedicine support from physicians, deployments by paramedics without a doctor when appropriate, and additional seasonal or rural rescue points.
- Officials report about a 20% increase in 112 calls since 2021, while SPD and FDP lawmakers endorse better patient steering and SSW warns of longer waits and weaker access in rural areas.