Clinics and practices in the field of ear, nose and throat medicine (ENT) are experiencing a significant increase in the number of emergency patients, which has multiple reasons. There is broad consent that a reform of emergency structures is necessary.The government commission for modern and needs-based hospital care has made recommendations with statements on the reform of emergency and acute care in the areas of "emergency services and financing" and "integrated emergency centers and integrated control centers". For this purpose a reliable foundation will be created with participation of specialist societies and professional associations, also linked to the hope of initiating the urgently needed relief of medical staff in clinics and practices.The present manuscript describes the health policy history and current problems in emergency care, focusing on proposed solutions with reference to the special features of ENT medicine. This position paper is linked to an appeal to self-administration and politicians to quickly implement a sustainable concept for emergency care, as financing and staff availability are becoming increasingly critical and the unregulated wave of emergency patients must be given a helping hand.