First Aid Newsletter

The federal government's planned health reform provides that patients must call a control center or use a video triage system before calling the emergency number 112 – even in critical emergencies such as stroke or heart attack. The reform aims to relieve emergency departments and rescue services, but is criticized by the public and professionals as a life-threatening delay risk.

At RETTmobil 2026, ASB, DRK, Johanniter, Malteser, and DLRG demanded adequate and sustained financing as well as strengthening of civil protection and disaster management as an integrated system. The organizations signal agreement on critical bottlenecks and financing gaps in the rescue services.

As part of the GKV Contribution Stabilization Act, the federal government is planning drastic cuts to rescue services and emergency care, including air rescue. These cost-cutting measures directly contradict demands for adequate financing and aggravate the system crisis.

A new first responder app (PulsePoint/ZOLL initiative) alerts qualified helpers on-site during cardiac arrests to reduce waiting times for rescue services. Current cases in the USA demonstrate successful resuscitations through rapid AED use and CPR by lay helpers – an approach that is gaining relevance in Germany as well.

DRK, Malteser, Johanniter, and ASB as well as private providers (Libify, Vitakt, Patronus) dominate a growing home emergency call market. Comparisons of response times, costs, and devices show increasing competition for an aging population in prevention and home-based emergency care.