Table 1 Out-Of-Hours Care (OHHC)-services in rural areas of different federal states of Germany in 2012 [16]
Service obligation for all panel physicians to do on-call duty but not to maintain registration as a GP or (as another specialist discipline) • Approximately 110,000 Most frequent model of OOHC in Germany in rural areas • OOHC rotation groups 30–50 physicians OOHC care centre • OOHC practices predominantly in the middle of the local district respectively care provision in GP practices • Either GPs of the region or hired clinicians work in the OOHC care centres Opening hours in OOHC centre • On weekdays From 07:00 pm to 07:00 am • On Wednesday already at 2:00 pm • From Friday 07:00 pm to Monday 7:00 am • On holidays Catchment area • Local districts with 40,000–80,000 inhabitants • Distance of patients to OOHC-centre 15-20 km Accessibility • Access via regional telephone numbers • about 10–15% walk in without a call in advance Telephone triage • In 2012 no triage model was implemented • The doctor himself answered the phone calls, rarer a nurse Provision of care • Telephone advice • Consultation-hours • Home visits. |