Austria Plans Major E-Card Reform to Simplify Healthcare
Austria’s government is planning a major reform of its healthcare system, centered on expanding the role of the E-Card. Under the new plan, all medical records, including test results and scans, will be stored digitally and linked to each patient’s E-Card.
Chancellor Karl Stocker said the reforms are not symbolic but a “real step toward a leaner state.” Speaking in an interview with Heute, he stressed that government services should work for citizens, not the other way around.
A key change will be the automatic bundling of medical findings. In the future, patients will no longer need to repeat blood tests, X-rays, or CT scans each time they visit a different doctor. According to Stocker, this will reduce costs, save time, and ease pressure on both patients and the healthcare system.
The government also aims to shorten waiting times for appointments. This will be done by expanding telemedicine services, as well as increasing the number of primary care and specialist centers. These measures are intended to reduce the burden on hospitals.
Beyond healthcare, the government is considering standardizing youth protection laws across Austria. One issue under discussion is curfew times for those under 16. Currently, rules vary by region, but Stocker said he supports setting a nationwide curfew at 1 a.m.
On migration, the chancellor pointed to what he described as a “paradigm shift,” claiming that Austria now has “negative migration,” meaning more deportations than new asylum applications.
Meanwhile, work on reforming social welfare is continuing at a fast pace. Despite recent opinion polls showing his party trailing, Stocker said he expects the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) to return to first place in future elections, arguing that the country has historically performed well under its leadership.
