
By USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs
It’s 2 a.m. and you have a medical emergency. Do you know what to do?
Time is an important factor when emergency care is required, so who do you call first? Where do you go? How do you get to the hospital? The Stuttgart Army Health Clinic on Patch Barracks is not staffed nor equipped to respond to an emergency and does not provide an ambulance service. If you or a family member are in a true emergency situation, here’s what to do:
You can call the German ambulance service, but to guarantee an English speaker, call the Military Police at DSN 110 or civilian +49 07031153102/3095. They will contact the German ambulance service and a Host Nation Patient Liaison. If your emergency is on an installation, the MPs will also meet the ambulance at the gate and escort it onto the installation.
German first responders will triage and transport a patient to the nearest emergency room that can treat their injury or condition.
Use Host Nation Patient Liaisons
Patient liaisons are fluent in English and German, and their primary duty is to help facilitate a community member’s stay in a German hospital. They serve as a conduit between the patient and the medical staff to provide the patient and his or her family with updates on the patient’s medical condition and treatment plan. If a patient requires follow-on care or transportation to another health care facility, patient liaisons will help in the planning process. When a patient is ready to be discharged, they will explain how to obtain medications from German pharmacies.
Emergencies while traveling
Before setting off on your trip, make sure to research which hospitals at your destination offer emergency care. TRICARE beneficiaries can contact International SOS, the company that administers the Tricare Overseas Program, at 0800-589-1599 (toll-free from Germany) to find a list of emergency rooms in their travel area. Outside of Germany? Search for a contact number in the country you are traveling to here.
If you are a TRICARE Prime patient and go to a German clinic or hospital without a referral, you must call the International SOS emergency line at 0800-181-8505 (toll-free from Germany) or their international line at 0044-20-8762-8133 (someone will call you back) to let them know.
If medical guidance is required, travelers may call the Nurse Advice Line for 24-hour medical advice at 0800-825-1600. Some mobile phones can’t call a toll-free number. Mobile phone users may also call the LRMC Appointment Line at DSN 314-590-LRMC (5762) or civilian (within Germany) 06371-9464-LRMC (5762) and choose the option for the Nurse Advice Line. A registered nurse will review your signs and symptoms to help determine the severity of the injury.
If you have an emergency and are not located near a military community, call 112, the Europe-wide emergency services number. Emergency medical assistance, ambulance services, rescue, and the fire brigade can all be reached at 112. For local police, dial 110.