Stephan Kurz

I am an anesthesiologist and emergency physician who built and initiated the Berlin-Brandenburg Aortic Emergency Hotline in 2015. Operating 24/7 as a clinically led single point of contact for acute aortic conditions, it standardizes triage, enables rapid and secure exchange of imaging and key data, and routes patients to the appropriate heart center—aligning prehospital decisions with definitive in-hospital care. The focus is clear: patient safety, accountable coordination, and the reduction of avoidable delays.

What the hotline delivers

• Clinically supervised coordination around the clock

• Shared protocols and escalation paths for ED and EMS teams

• Secure handover of imaging/data to the receiving center

• Direct center-to-center communication and timely team mobilization (OR/ICU)

• Case review and targeted training to keep workflows aligned

How it runs

• Integrates with existing EMS/ED and hospital structures—interoperability by design

• Emphasizes measurable improvements in time-critical steps, while respecting data protection and clinical confidentiality

• Continuously refines operations through feedback loops with referring sites

About me

Emergency physician (Notarzt) and cardiac anesthesiologist. Habilitated university lecturer (Privatdozent) with a teaching license in anesthesiology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Doctoral degree and Master of Public Health (MPH). Academic and clinical interests include emergency pathways, imaging handover, clinical operations, and outcome-oriented critical care.

I’m open to professional exchange with colleagues across hospitals, dispatch centers, and related services who are working to strengthen time-critical care pathways. Feel free to connect via LinkedIn DM.