Vienna Focuses More on Outpatient Care in Healthcare Provision

It is planned, among other things, that by the end of 2030, regional health centers will be expanded from the current 70 to 169, including primary care units.

The five-year structure plan was jointly decided by the state of Vienna and the social insurance in agreement with the federal government. It is set to come into force at the beginning of 2026, Hacker explained at a joint press conference with the chairwoman of the Vienna Regional Committee of the ÖGK, Agnes Streissler-Führer, and the health spokesperson of the Vienna Neos, Jing Hu. Hacker emphasized that this is not a rigid framework. The plan will rather be adapted every year if necessary - this is already required due to the rapid developments in medicine.

"The entire healthcare system will become more outpatient"

The Health Councillor emphasized that the entire healthcare system should become more outpatient. One of the "major 'focus areas'" is the further expansion of primary care. This applies not only in the field of general medicine but also in the fields of pediatric medicine, dentistry, and gynecology.

Vienna: Fewer hospital beds, more geriatric beds

It is important to understand the changes in needs in the area of inpatient care: Treatments are becoming faster, procedures less invasive. The result is that hospital stays are much shorter.

Some patients, especially older ones, would need more time. Therefore, the area of acute geriatrics and aftercare (remobilization) in hospitals will be expanded. According to Hacker, there will be 884 such beds by 2030 - 500 more than currently. In return, the number of purely inpatient beds will be reduced by around 800. By the end of 2030, there will be around 8,400 inpatient beds in Vienna's fund hospitals.

According to Hacker, day clinic capacities are to be expanded - by over 50 percent, from 650 to 1,000 places by 2030. "We are not building more hospitals, but ensuring that outpatient care works," said Streissler-Führer. The ÖGK is investing in outpatient care, while the city of Vienna is investing in inpatient care, she emphasized the cooperation. She also pointed to the growing demand due to demographics.

Regional health centers will be expanded to 169

By the end of 2030, regional health centers are to be expanded from the current 70 to 169, emphasized the ÖGK representative. According to the ÖGK, this includes primary care centers (PVE) (expansion to at least 80 units), children's centers (from the current eleven to 14), first aid clinics (EVA), women's health and diabetes centers, and centers for chronic pain.

Also planned are centers for pacemakers and thyroid, a center for outpatient surgery, centers for child and adolescent psychiatry, inclusive dental and maxillofacial care, wound centers, a gerontopsychiatric center, and a tele-center for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Additionally, an oncology care center, a Down syndrome clinic, centers for hemato-oncological care, and an infusion clinic are to be established.

PAIS Center also coming to Vienna

A center for Post-Acute Infection Syndromes (PAIS) such as Post Covid or the severe multisystem disease ME/CFS will also be established in Vienna. This issue has recently been discussed in the Federal Target Steering Commission. Health State Secretary Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig (SPÖ) reported in mid-October about "doubts" from individual system partners in the commission, which consists of the federal government, states, and social insurance. Specifically, the need identified by the national PAIS reference center was questioned, and there was no consensus on the definition of PAIS and ME/CFS, it was said.

Hacker is aware of the debate, but they will still proceed with the establishment. "There is actually no real consensus on this topic in the professional world if you listen closely," he said. "We have listened and paid attention for a long time. And there are also very serious voices saying that such a center is not needed at all." It was also pointed out that there are "many rare diseases" where "medicine does not have 100 percent of the answers" - and therefore no such center is needed. "I have heard all of this very well, have also discussed it very, very intensively with many others, and we have still decided on a center."

"What we do not want is for private medicine to make money on this issue," said Streissler-Führer, referring to the current poor supply situation in the public sector. "We want there to be a center where people can go with confidence, where they know they will now receive quality-assured advice for their problem and also a treatment path."

"We are the common hand"

In the overall discussion, it is not at all about shifting costs between states and health insurance funds, emphasized Hacker. Instead, it is about "solving the problems together." Regarding the repeatedly demanded "financing from a single source," he said, looking at the chairwoman of the state committee: "We are the common hand."

Guest patients considered in Vienna, telemedicine expansion

The sensitive issue of "guest patients" from other federal states has been considered in the planning, assured the City Councilor for Health. In the planned inpatient area, a number of guest patients in Vienna's hospitals "in the scope of the Austrian average" will be treated, it was said by the city.

According to Jing Hu, the digital expansion in Vienna's healthcare provision is to be continued: The possibility of booking appointments via the hotline 1450 is to be extended to all healthcare providers in the city. The medical video consultation via 1450 will also be expanded.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.