Smolle: Health care reform was initiated by Chancellor Karl Nehammer

“Our federal government, with Chancellor Karl Nehammer at the helm, has set the right course for the health sector in this legislative period,” said ÖVP health spokesman Josef Smolle today, Thursday, rejecting the criticism of the Austrian health system. For the MP, it was somewhat irritating that criticism would come from the Social Democrats of all places. In the past decades, the Minister of Health would have been appointed long enough. It’s not about assigning blame, but the SPÖ in Vienna, for example, has a lot of catching up to do, especially in the health sector, says Smolle, and continues: “Vienna has the lowest proportion of statutory health insurance physicians, but the highest proportion of elective doctors. 40 percent of all private sanatorium services are also provided in the social democratically governed federal capital.”

There are currently 50,700 active doctors in Austria. “This is not only a European record, but also an all-time high in Austria.” In the last few years alone, 3,000 more have been added. Smolle sees encouraging developments – especially in the current legislative period. This would have resulted in 100 additional statutory health insurance doctor positions being implemented. “The financial equalization will provide an additional 1.5 billion euros for strengthening the branch sector. “More than three billion euros will go to the states and municipalities for hospital reforms,” says Smolle. This is accompanied by a shift from the inpatient area to day clinics and outpatient clinics and an increase in efficiency and a reduction in waiting lists.

There is also additional money for digitalization, for example for the expansion of the health hotline 1450, which should make it possible to provide direct telemedical advice or make appointments. “It is in the interest of all of us to simplify the organization for patients,” Smolle continued.

The MP concluded: “The Austrian healthcare system is one of the best in the world. To ensure that it stays that way in the future, we must work together on a solidarity-based, high-quality and low-threshold supply of care for all people in this country.” (Ending)