Crisis in the healthcare system: Long waiting times frustrate Upper Austrians!

Crisis in the healthcare system: Long waiting times frustrate Upper Austrians!

Health care in Upper Austria is under pressure. According to a current IFES study commissioned by the AK Upper Austria, the population's dissatisfaction with the healthcare system and long waiting times for appointments and operations are increasing dramatically. The results of this study will be presented on April 29, 2025, at 10 a.m., at a press conference in the Linz Chamber of Labor. AK President Andreas Stangl and IFES Managing Director Dr. Reinhard Raml will provide information about the current situation and necessary political measures ots.at.

Available doctors have less and less time for their patients. This problem is further exacerbated by the high utilization and insufficient capacity in hospitals. Theses on the emergency situation in the health system can be found in the study mentioned and will re-fuel the discussion about reforms.

Waiting times in European comparison

The problem of long waiting times cannot only be observed in Upper Austria. There are also challenges throughout the entire Austrian healthcare system that make access to medical care even more difficult. For example, a patient in Austria currently has to wait up to a year for a knee prosthesis. In a European comparison, however, Austria is not alone here: While the median waiting times for knee replacement operations in Denmark and Italy are under 50 days, patients in Austria often wait over 60 days for specialist appointments, such as wienerzeitung.at reported.

Austria invests 10.4% of its gross domestic product in its healthcare system, making it one of the most expensive in Europe. In comparison, Germany spends 11.7% of its economic output, while Italy and Spain only invest 8.7% and 9.1%, respectively. Despite these high expenditures, however, it is clear that the quality of care does not automatically increase.

Weaknesses of the system

The high spending rate does not directly lead to better care, especially for chronic diseases such as diabetes, which affects 8.4% of the Austrian population. This is also evident from the inadequate preventive measures; Austria only spends 2.8% of its health expenditure on prevention - a value that is below the OECD average of 3.2%. For comparison, Finland invests close to 4% and thereby achieves better health outcomes with only 6.2% diabetics in the population.

In addition, the median waiting time for new medications in Austria is 349 days, while patients in Germany only have to wait 87 days. Another point is the patient's cost participation: in Austria they cover an average of 32% of the drug prices, while in Germany it is only 18%.

However, the strengths of the Austrian health system remain solidarity and good acute and emergency care. These aspects could be further developed through improved cooperation between actors and strategies in other European countries. The discussion, which will take place on April 29, 2025, could be the first step in this direction to increase patient satisfaction in the long term.