Emergency? Gifhorn’s paramedics overloaded due to minor cases – Gifhorn – News at a glance

More and more people from Gifhorn choose them Emergency number 112when they need medical help – too often, the district administration finds. Because more and more often are not at all ambulance and emergency doctor necessary, since a general practitioner is often enough. In order to conserve the capacities of the paramedics and emergency doctors, the district is now starting an appeal to the residents.

There were 36,500 calls to 112 in 2022, says Andrea Reichstein from the fire and safety department civil protection, rescue service and trade. So around 250 a day. Out of this came 34,500 rescue operations. Three years earlier it was 30,900. And the number of minor cases registered (“on-site treatment”) rose from 8 to 16 percent in 2021 and 2022 alone. The 13 existing ambulances and 2 emergency vehicles are overloaded.

“The number of emergency calls has increased, but not the number of emergencies”

However, her colleague Matthias Rüger says: “The number of emergency calls has increased, but not the number of emergencies. It’s just a different behavior.” That means: They’re moving more and more often paramedic off again because they are too minor cases were summoned. This should be avoided so that the emergency services are not unnecessarily tied up in real emergencies.

Therefore, the administration appeals to citizens to continue to use 112 when it comes to life and death goes when quick help is required – for example, in the case of shortness of breath, signs of infarction, unconsciousness, severe illness acute pain, severe bleeding, poisoning and burns. But if it is already clear from the outset that no hospitalization is necessary or the condition has existed for days, the symptoms of the disease are mild, then be the number of the health insurance service the right: 116117. Rüger: “Whenever the occasion is not time-critical.”

The statutory health insurance service then organizes a doctor’s visit. And don’t worry: if the questioning is obviously an emergency, the service will immediately pass it on to the emergency dispatch center further.

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