VIENNA, Jul. 24 — Austria’s doctors’ association says it has so far been left out of the discussion about specialist medical centers, even as the government pushes ahead with plans to expand outpatient care.
Edgar Wutscher, vice president of the chamber and head of its panel for doctors in private practice, said Thursday on ORF radio’s Ö1 Morgenjournal that he is not fundamentally against the idea. But, he added, there is still much to clarify before such centers can become part of the health system in a meaningful way, according to ORF News
Wutscher said one key question is whether these centers would make sense in every region, or only in selected areas where demand is high. He also asked whether enough doctors would be willing to work in them, warning that the model cannot succeed on paper alone.
The government wants to establish 75 health care centers by 2040 in an effort to ease pressure on hospitals and shorten waiting times for specialist treatment. The model is intended to follow the example of Austria’s primary care units, which already serve as a foundation for outpatient care.
For the plan to move forward, initial funding will be needed first, while longer-term financing is expected to be settled in future fiscal equalization talks.
Wutscher said neither politicians nor social insurers had yet spoken to the chamber in any real way. Still, he called the idea “basically worth discussing” and said the chamber is ready to take part once a real conversation begins.
He added that he could imagine the model working well in certain specialist fields or centers, but only after the details are settled and the regional fit is tested carefully.
