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

North Rhine-Westphalia's Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann has unveiled a 15-point plan to reform outpatient care. The proposal aims to streamline patient journeys through the healthcare system while cutting red tape for medical practices. Patients would keep their right to choose any doctor under the new system.

The centrepiece of the plan is a revamped 116 117 hotline, which would become a central health platform. This service would assess treatment urgency and direct patients to the most suitable practice. Primary care doctors, especially GPs, would then take charge of coordinating assessments, treatments, and specialist referrals.

The reforms also target bureaucratic inefficiencies. Practices would handle fewer, standardised forms, issue long-term prescriptions and referrals, and adopt more digital processes. Structural upgrades for surgeries and new roles for medical assistants are included to modernise care delivery.

Laumann stressed that the proposals would need federal legislation to take effect. He framed the plan as a key contribution to the national discussion on outpatient care reform.

If implemented, the changes would reshape how patients navigate the system. The hotline's expanded role and GP-led coordination aim to improve efficiency. Meanwhile, reduced paperwork and digital improvements could ease pressure on practices.