The challenge
For many people, the healthcare system has become complex and hard to navigate. Parents in particular often struggle to find the right point of contact when their child is unwell. The consequences:
- lack of orientation and low health literacy
- emergency departments overloaded with non-urgent cases
- long waiting times for specialist appointments
- different access to care for statutory and privately insured patients
- too little time and resources in treatment
- poor links between existing services
The result is uncertainty for patients, inefficient care pathways and additional pressure on the healthcare system.
Goals
- Provide orientation: clear information about suitable services
- Improve patient guidance: refer people to the right facilities and professionals
- Relieve the system: reduce unnecessary emergency visits and misdirected care
- Strengthen health literacy: enable parents and families to make informed decisions
- Foster regional networks: connect existing services and stakeholders in Freiburg
Who it is for
The primary target group is parents and guardians of children. The service also addresses people with low health literacy, families facing language or social barriers and anyone who struggles to find appropriate medical care. Medical practices, emergency departments and professionals benefit indirectly.
Four building blocks
- Health guides: a regional point of contact advising families in person, by phone or online.
- Digital health navigation: a platform with clear information, regional services and orientation aids – complementing personal advice.
- Regional care network: collaboration between paediatric, general and specialist practices, hospitals, counselling services and other stakeholders.
- Health literacy and prevention: multilingual materials, low-threshold information services and parent training.