Lower Austrian state government gives the starting signal for the process for Lower Austrian healthcare 2040+
St. Pölten (OTS) – Despite major challenges and constantly growing tasks and hurdles that healthcare workers have to face every day, Lower Austria undoubtedly has one of the best healthcare systems in the world. Nevertheless, the healthcare system is facing a turning point. Changes in population development and demographic change make it necessary to prepare for the future, especially in medical and nursing care. According to ÖROK, individual regions of Lower Austria will experience a population decline of up to minus 14 percent by 2050, while at the same time the Bruck an der Leitha district, for example, will grow by more than 20 percent by 2050. Demographic change represents an additional burden. In 2023, 220,000 people over the age of 85 will live in Austria. By 2050, this number will rise to over 500,000. As the population continues to age, medicine is evolving day by day and is making use of a variety of options that were unthinkable just a few years ago. Many treatments that are carried out on an outpatient basis today would have required an inpatient hospital stay just a few years ago.
The framework conditions for ensuring health care for Lower Austrians have changed and at the latest with the financial equalization for the years 2024-2028 there will be a legal basis and a clear position from the federal government. More money will be made available for health care, but this is linked to clear conditions that must be met and proven in order to actually receive the resources the country believes are necessary. The federal government provides 300 million euros annually for the private sector. A total of over three billion euros will be made available to strengthen the hospital outpatient sector. For Lower Austria this means funds amounting to 437.4 million euros.
In order to do justice to these changed framework conditions and the innovations in the FAG, the Lower Austrian state government has developed seven guidelines. These serve as a basis for the experts to develop a health pact to ensure the best medical and nursing care in Lower Austria in the long term. The responsible members of the Lower Austrian state government agreed on this in a technical discussion with representatives of the medical association, the health union, the health insurance fund as well as the cities and municipalities.
These guidelines from the state government as a basis for experts are:
Growing and aging population
Treatment of chronic diseases
Primary and acute care at any time
Fast and perfect rescue chain
Optimal aftercare and rehabilitation
High-quality training and further education
First-class prevention and health care
The process for developing recommendations for action in the area of the Lower Austrian LGA, state legislation, acute care and subsequently for the Regional Structural Plan Health 2030 (planning of intra- and extramural health care) is planned until the 2nd quarter of 2025. For this purpose, consulting companies are commissioned to set up project management for the process. At the same time, GÖG (Gesundheit Österreich GmbH) is to be commissioned to calculate the data basis for the individual supply regions in Lower Austria according to current specifications and to make it available to the experts. At the same time, a specialist group of specialists from different disciplines will develop suggestions for the individual subject areas. From these suggestions, a separate committee of experts will then derive final recommendations for the further development of hospitals, the emergency services, nursing training and the private practice sector and present them to the Lower Austrian state government.
Lower Austria is the first state to take the changing framework conditions and innovations in health financing into account in the 2024-2028 financial equalization and is working on a solution for the future. The common goal of the government members involved is Lower Austrian healthcare 2040+.
“The framework conditions for financing our healthcare system have changed fundamentally in recent years. The financial equalization for the next 5 years will reflect exactly this situation and make more money available to finance the healthcare system. In this way, the federal government gives us clear goals and framework conditions to which we must and will respond. If we want to access the necessary resources to finance our health system, it is time to further develop our structures. Because health concerns us all – whether young or old, as parents or grandparents, as relatives or those affected ourselves, we all want the best medical and nursing care. We are starting a process in which all healthcare players are involved, the responsible members of the state government as well as the representatives of the cities and municipalities who have approached the state with a partnership offer. We want to rethink healthcare in Lower Austria and secure long-term financing,” said Ludwig Schleritzko, the state councilor responsible for finance and state hospitals.
“I am very pleased that it was possible to involve all responsible members of the government in the health pact. The changed framework conditions in the health system make this step necessary, which should result in better health care for the Lower Austrian population. A group of experts will work on the necessary improvements in the Lower Austrian health system by the second quarter of 2025. These improvements will be developed using the 7 guiding principles presented today. We will actively support this process and bring the needs of the Lower Austrian population into the discussion. For me, the measures must serve the patient and bring real added value,” states State Councilor Christoph Luisser.
“The implementation of the second part of the Regional Health Structural Plan (RSG) has been a long-standing political demand of mine. I therefore welcome the fact that a process is now being started that is broad-based and characterized by an open-ended exchange with experts. In the end, high-quality care that is based on the foundations of the solidarity health system must be guaranteed for the people in Lower Austria,” emphasizes State Health Councilor Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig.
“Ensuring sufficient qualified personnel in the healthcare sector is and remains one of the biggest challenges for everyone involved. Lower Austria has often led the way and taken a pioneering role. It is clear that we will continue to work hard on modern and targeted training and further education measures,” said State Councilor for Social Affairs Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister.
Further information:
Office LR Schleritzko, Jan Teubl, MSc (WU), Mobile: +43 676 812 12345, Email: jan.teubl@noel.gv.at
Bureau LR Luisser, Eng. Robert Location, Mobile: +43 676 812 13700, Mail:
robert.lugar@noel.gv.at
Office LR Königsberger-Ludwig, Anton Heinzl, telephone: 02742/9005-12576, email: anton.heinzl@noel.gv.at
Office LR Teschl-Hofmeister, Mag. (FH) Dieter Kraus, telephone:
02742/9005-12655, email: dieter.kraus@noel.gv.at
Questions & Contact:
Office of the Lower Austrian State Government
State Office Directorate/Public Relations
Doris Zöger
02742/9005-13314
presse@noel.gv.at
www.noe.gv.at/presse