NRW Plan: Number 116 117 to better guide patients - North Rhine-Westphalia overhauls outpatient care to slash bureaucracy and boost efficiency

North Rhine-Westphalia has unveiled a major reform plan to streamline outpatient healthcare, aiming to cut red tape for medical practices while enhancing patient access through digital tools and better coordination. Officials describe it as a model for nationwide change in how primary care operates.

The reform centres on reducing paperwork for doctors. Practices would handle fewer forms, issue long-term prescriptions, and rely more on digital systems. Medical assistants would also take on expanded roles to ease administrative loads.

Primary care practices would become the first point of contact for patients, assessing their needs, providing treatment, and referring patients to specialists when required. Despite this shift, the plan guarantees that patients retain their right to choose any doctor.

A key part of the proposal is transforming the 116 117 hotline into a central health platform. Over the past five years, calls to the hotline have more than doubled, rising from 2.5 million in 2021 to over 5.5 million in 2025. Wait times have dropped from 12 minutes to under five, with most calls answered within a minute. Patient satisfaction remains high, at 85–92%. The new platform would assess urgency and direct patients to the appropriate type of care.

Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann called the plan an 'important impetus' for national discussions. But putting it into action would need federal legislation. The region faces pressure, with around 40,000 outpatient practices operating and a third of doctors nearing retirement.

The reform would modernise how outpatient care is delivered in Germany's most populous state. If approved, it could set a precedent for other regions struggling with similar challenges. The focus remains on faster access, less bureaucracy, and maintaining patient choice.