First Aid Newsletter

The Federal Cabinet has approved a comprehensive reform of emergency care that for the first time recognizes medical emergency management and specialist medical care as part of medical treatment rather than merely transport costs. The reform includes improved digital networking between emergency dispatch centers, emergency departments, and medical practices, as well as standardized patient inquiries via 112 and 116117. This marks a fundamental restructuring of emergency care following years of rising call volumes and doubled health insurance expenditures.

Major relief organizations (DRK, Johanniter, Malteser, ASB, DLRG) are calling at RETTmobil 2026 for adequate and permanent financing as well as strengthening of civil and disaster protection as an integrated system. The consensus among the associations signals structural pressure on the system in light of rising call volumes and increasingly complex tasks.

Multiple experts report dramatically increased call volumes concurrent with an aging population, hospital closures, and new tasks for ambulance services, while training capacities cannot keep pace. A social media post criticizes that office appointment slots have been halved because emergency admissions and discharges are increasing – a systemic bottleneck problem that runs throughout everyday ambulance service operations.

According to the Foundation for Engagement and Civic Service, for many adults the last first aid course was over 10 years ago, leading to significant uncertainty. Malteser and other organizations are intensifying 2-hour refresher courses to convey confidence in emergency situations more quickly – a trend toward shorter but more frequent training formats.

Studies show that combined CPR and AED availability can increase survival chances in cardiac arrest from 10% to 46%. The trend is moving toward lower-barrier training programs (e.g., Hands-Only CPR) and improved public AED infrastructure, which is also driving discussion in Germany about defibrillator placement in central locations.