NRW Plan: Number 116 117 to better guide patients - North Rhine-Westphalia proposes sweeping reforms to transform outpatient care

North Rhine-Westphalia has unveiled plans to overhaul outpatient care across the state. The proposal aims to streamline services, reduce bureaucracy, and improve how patients access treatment. Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann called it a key step in shaping national debates on healthcare reform.

The reform centres on a new patient guidance system, which would expand the existing 116 117 hotline into a central health platform. This platform would assess urgency and direct patients to the right type of practice. Implementation, however, would need federal legislation to move forward.

Primary care practices would take on a stronger coordinating role under the plan. They would handle initial assessments, provide treatment, and refer patients to specialists when necessary. The proposal also modernises practice structures by introducing new roles for medical assistants, allowing them to treat minor illnesses.

To cut red tape, the plan includes fewer and standardised forms, longer-term prescriptions and referrals, and more digital processes. Despite these changes, patients would keep their right to choose their own doctor. The reforms come as the state faces an ageing medical workforce—one-third of its 40,000 outpatient doctors are over 65 and nearing retirement.

The proposed changes seek to make outpatient care more efficient and patient-focused. If approved, they would introduce a centralised triage system, reduce paperwork, and expand the role of medical staff. The success of the plan depends on federal backing and its ability to address the challenges of an ageing healthcare workforce.