The Ministry of Health is providing 230,000 euros for the storage of palliative emergency medication
Vienna (OTS) – Palliative patients often need highly effective painkillers that are subject to the Narcotic Drugs Ordinance. Since February, mobile hospice and palliative services as well as old people’s and nursing homes have been allowed to keep the relevant preparations in stock. After a doctor’s prescription, these can be given directly to patients and do not have to be ordered first. In the past, this has often led to delays in delivery and unnecessary suffering for patients. Since social insurance does not cover the costs of stocking medication independently of the patient, the Ministry of Health is providing funding of 230,000 euros. “The optimal care of seriously ill, dying people has the highest priority. We have managed to ensure that patients receive highly effective medication quickly and unbureaucratically in the event of an acute deterioration in their health. By covering the costs, we are now relieving the burden on palliative care facilities,” said Health and Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch.***
Around 1,800 hospice and palliative facilities and old people’s and nursing homes in Austria ensure optimal care for seriously ill and dying people in the terminal phase of their lives. In addition, mobile hospice and palliative services ensure every day that those affected are well looked after and cared for in their own home according to their wishes until the end of their lives.
Seriously ill people often experience an acute deterioration in their health in the terminal phase of their lives and are dependent on highly effective medications such as opiates. Palliative emergency medications are partly subject to the Narcotics Ordinance and may only be administered according to a doctor’s prescription. In the past, stressful situations often occurred because the required medication could only be ordered after a doctor’s prescription and could not be kept in stock by hospice facilities regardless of need.
The amendment to the Narcotics Ordinance, which has been in force since February 2024, allows hospice and palliative care to stock the most frequently needed palliative emergency medications for the first time, regardless of the patient.
“The ability to stock highly effective painkillers represents an important milestone in Austrian palliative care. Especially on weekends and public holidays, mobile hospice and palliative services rely on the availability of these medicines in order to provide patients whose condition is rapidly deteriorating with the necessary pain treatment to provide care,” emphasizes Health Minister Johannes Rauch.
Medicines dispensed in this way cannot be billed to social security. The Ministry of Health has therefore provided funding of 230,000 euros to cover the additional costs of the facilities. The purchase costs of palliative emergency medication for inpatient care and support facilities, for mobile palliative teams, inpatient hospices and day hospices will be reimbursed from these funds.
HOSPIZ AUSTRIA, the umbrella organization of palliative and hospice facilities, was entrusted with the implementation by the Ministry of Health. All facilities will receive specific information about the refund process in the next few weeks. From autumn onwards, invoices can be uploaded via a submission platform and the amount will be refunded by Hospice Austria.
“HOSPIZ AUSTRIA is pleased to be able to carry out this project because we are convinced that stocking these medications in the institutions will make it easier for many people on their final journey and thus relieve the burden on relatives and health workers,” said Barbara Schwarz, President of the Hospice Austria umbrella association concluded.
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