It is not always necessary to go to the emergency room

Do you have symptoms compatible with the flu? Do you feel unwell? Do you have nausea, vomiting, or gastroenteritis? These are some of the most common inquiries that 061 Salut Respon handles. More than 200 professionals – including doctors, nurses, and technicians – offer non-face-to-face healthcare 24 hours a day, every day of the year, providing guidance, advice, and information to resolve health concerns.

With a simple call to 061, citizens can receive health advice, complete administrative procedures related to the healthcare system, or obtain information about available healthcare resources. In many cases, a phone consultation with healthcare professionals can resolve the problem without the need to go to an emergency service.

When the situation requires it, 061 Salut Respon refers the person to the most appropriate healthcare resource or activates the necessary devices, such as a home doctor visit, an ambulance, or, in more serious cases, a medicalized helicopter from the Emergency Medical System (SEM).

How to access it

To use the service, just call 061. From abroad, the phone number is 933 038 158. Deaf people can also access it through the sign language interpretation service by videoconference, available through the mobile app of 061 Salut Respon. The app is free and is aimed at both citizens and health professionals.

You can also contact the service via chat on the web or by email at 061catsalutrespon@gencat.cat.

It is recommended to use the form for queries that do not require immediate resolution, as the response is attempted within 24 hours, but if it is complex, this period can be extended up to a maximum of 5 working days.

Emergencies vs. continuous care

It is not always necessary to go to the emergency room. Many health problems can be resolved without having to go to a hospital. Primary care centers (CAP) and local health centers are, in most cases, the entry point to the healthcare system and can respond to most queries during their usual hours. Furthermore, many of these centers offer continuous care outside of these hours and during weekends, while primary care emergency centers (CUAP) are open 24 hours a day.

When primary care centers are closed, 061 Salut Respon coordinates home-based continuous care in more than 93% of the territory. A healthcare professional advises the person on how to act, informs them about the most appropriate care resource, and, if necessary, activates a mobile unit so that they can receive assistance at their home or wherever they are. This service helps to avoid unnecessary travel and to ensure that each patient is treated with the most appropriate resource according to their situation.

Procedures and more

Through 061 Salut Respon, citizens can also receive information and guidance on the main administrative procedures and processes of CatSalut and the Department of Health. Among the most notable services are the processing and reissuance of the Individual Health Card (TSI) and its modalities, such as the Braille card or the Cuida'm card; the management of access to La Meva Salut; information on the advance healthcare directive document; healthcare assistance for displaced persons, including the necessary documentation to access public healthcare coverage and the European Health Insurance Card; the pharmaceutical co-payment fee; the guide to CatSalut services and benefits, as well as the collection of suggestions, acknowledgments, and complaints about any public health service.

Among other services, there is the traveler's advice where travelers find health information for their destination country, as well as the risks and precautions to take to enjoy it in good health: what to do before, during, and upon returning from the trip. They also provide other advice, such as quitting smoking or adopting healthy lifestyle habits, which contribute to a good quality of life for users.

Medications and vaccines

Medicines are substances that have properties to prevent, diagnose, treat, relieve or cure all kinds of diseases, but misused they can pose risks to health. 

The 061 also provides everyone with information on how to use medicines responsibly and safely. You can consult what doses to take, interactions, contraindications, and all those doubts to avoid any risk.

You can also consult the vaccination calendar that the Department of Health establishes for children and adults and which is modified based on scientific evidence, as well as specific vaccination campaigns, such as the one carried out annually for seasonal flu.

Alerts and waiting lists

The 061 Salut Respon also plays a key role in health alert situations. During episodes such as heat waves, air pollution peaks, epidemic outbreaks, or food safety alerts, the service provides updated information and health advice in coordination with the Catalan Public Health Agency (ASPCAT). This way, citizens can learn about recommendations to protect themselves and act appropriately in each situation.

The service also provides information on average waiting times for surgical interventions, diagnostic tests, and initial specialized care visits, so that users can consult the status of waiting lists in the public health system.

In addition, 061 Salut Respon offers information on the network of health centers in Catalonia and the use of different healthcare services. Through the service, you can find out which is the nearest on-call pharmacy, which health center to go to during weekends or holidays, what type of coverage applies in each case, or what to do in the event of a traffic, work, or sports accident. It also resolves doubts about procedures and common situations, such as the inability to attend a scheduled visit or test.