Hospital workers caught in the crossfire of heated debates among visiting patients
In the heart of Austria, a heated debate is unfolding regarding the management of guest patients in Vienna's hospitals. The issue has sparked a series of discussions and proposals, with various parties expressing their concerns and solutions.
At the forefront of the debate is Vienna's Health Councillor, Peter Hacker (SPÖ), who is considering the implementation of separate waiting lists for Viennese and non-Viennese patients. This proposal, however, has not been met with universal approval. There is lasting displeasure in Lower Austria and Burgenland with Vienna's approach to the guest patient issue, and the affected federal states are now considering legal action.
Hacker's proposal stems from the increasing proportion of guest patients, which in some areas has reached up to 40%. This is particularly noticeable in regions with poor outpatient supply, such as nuclear medicine. An insider has confirmed Hacker's analysis, stating that the current situation is a great burden for the administrative staff in Vienna's hospitals.
The administrative staff are the ones who have to inform patients, who have been waiting for their operation for a long time, to look for a hospital in their home federal state. This process, understandably, has led to emotional reactions from patients, including insults, which are particularly difficult for the hospital personnel to handle.
Vienna's Mayor, Ludwig, dislikes Hacker's approach in this matter and has appealed to Lower Austria and Burgenland to sit down at a table to discuss a joint supply region East. He believes that a health region East would alleviate the pressure on Vienna's hospitals and provide a more equitable solution for all parties involved.
Meanwhile, calls for a long-term healthcare system reform are growing louder. Michaela Wlattnig, spokeswoman for the ARGE patient ombudsmen, has joined the chorus, advocating for a comprehensive reform. Ernest Pichlbauer, on the other hand, has proposed a more drastic solution: the abolition of the state medical chambers to enable a nationwide overall contract for doctors with the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) as a potential solution to the guest patient problem in Vienna and surrounding federal states.
As the debate continues, it is clear that every sick person must be helped, regardless of where they come from. The goal of the reform should be to ensure patients receive appropriate care in the medically appropriate time. It is hoped that all those involved in the system will work together to find a solution that benefits everyone.
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