Future of health: hospital closings in Lower Austria at a glance

Future of health: hospital closings in Lower Austria at a glance

In the past few days, new considerations on health care in Lower Austria have caused a sensation. An expert paper proposes to close and restructure several hospitals in the region. The clinics in Korneuburg, Stockerau and Hollabrunn in particular are on the potential list of shooting. A new location, the Weinviertel Hospital South-West, could summarize these facilities and thus make the supply more efficiently.

The underlying concept stipulates that not only these three clinics are affected, but also Gänserndorf, which could possibly be converted into a primary care center. This step is intended to bundle the resources and increase the general effectiveness of the healthcare system in the region.

first considerations and open questions

The State Health Agency NÖ (LGA) made it clear in a first message that this is early considerations and that no final decisions have been made. The process for the development of recommendations for action will be used until the first quarter of 2025. In this phase, public discussions and evaluations are provided for various suggestions.

The LGA has also assured that both the employees affected by closings and the public are informed in good time. "We do not want to draw hasty conclusions," emphasized the LGA, while alternative measures to optimize health care are under discussion.

political reactions and concerns

The discussion has also led to reactions from politics. The SPÖ Korneuburg expressed concern about the possibility that the hospital could be closed in Korneuburg. Vice Mayor Bernadette Haider-Wittmann asked the Mayor Christian Gepp to position himself against the closure plans and actively struggle for the preservation of the location. "The hospital in Korneuburg is an indispensable institution for people in our region," said Haider-Wittmann.

She pointed out that the Viennese hospitals from patients from Lower Austria and Burgenland are heavily used, and criticized the idea of deporting the patients to Vienna through closures as irresponsible. Haider-Wittmann wants a responsible policy that focuses on the needs of the population.

Mayor Christian Gepp was determined in a statement on request to defend the Korneuburg location. He described the current healthcare process as cross -party and emphasized that 50 experts were working on finding a future -proof solution. "Until there are no other and better solutions, the current location remains in Korneuburg. I invite all parties to support myself," said Gepp.

Katja Steininger, Managing Director of Health Weinviertel GmbH, also emphasized the need for high -quality medical care for the region. "It's not about savings, but about sustainable improvement in health care." The discussions within the framework of the Lower Austrian health package should continue to discuss various proposals and also evaluate existing structures.

Overall, it remains to be seen how the discussion about the measures will develop and which decisions are ultimately made. However, the residents and employees of the affected clinics should be continuously informed in order to take the concerns of the population seriously. Further information will be available in the coming months, while the evaluation processes are progressing.