NRW Plan: Number 116 117 to better guide patients - North Rhine-Westphalia overhauls outpatient care to tackle doctor shortages and bureaucracy

North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) has unveiled a sweeping plan to reform outpatient healthcare. With around 40,000 medical practices serving the region, officials warn that a third of doctors are over 65 and nearing retirement. The proposals aim to cut red tape, modernise care, and ensure patients still choose their own doctors freely.

The centrepiece of the reform is a major overhaul of how doctors are paid. The state's health minister argues that current reimbursement systems create the wrong incentives and need a complete redesign. To ease pressure on practices, the plan also reduces paperwork by introducing standardised forms, longer-term prescriptions, and digital processes.

Another key change involves expanding the 116 117 health hotline into a central platform. This system will assess how urgent a patient's needs are, decide the right type of practice for treatment, and make binding referrals. The goal is to speed up care and route patients more efficiently.

Primary care practices will take on a stronger coordinating role. They will assess, treat, and refer patients to specialists when necessary. Medical assistants will also gain new responsibilities, including handling minor illnesses, as part of a push to modernise practice structures.

The minister stressed that these reforms could serve as a blueprint for national changes. However, federal legislation would be required to put many of the proposals into action.

The reforms keep patient choice at the forefront, with two-thirds of insured people in NRW already having a designated GP. If implemented, the changes would reduce administrative burdens, improve triage, and adapt the system to an ageing medical workforce. The next step depends on broader political support and federal lawmaking.