Waiting times for almond surgery: a 17-year-old fights for help

Waiting times for almond surgery: a 17-year-old fights for help

The situation in the healthcare system of Lower Austria accepts worrying proportions. An example that illustrates the current challenges is the case of a 17-year-old patient from Wilfersdorf who has been waiting for an urgently needed almond surgery for a year. The purulent tonsillitis, which it occurs very often, is increasingly deteriorating and is an excruciating burden for the young woman. The State Clinic Mistelbach has issued the urgent recommendation for a tonsillectomy, but it had to contact other hospitals due to the reduced capacity of the ENT department.

After the dismissal from the State Clinic, she and her mother were expelled to the clinics in St. Pölten and Krems. In St. Pölten, they were offered an appointment for October 8, 2025, which makes it clear, how limited the resources in public hospitals are. The mother made many calls in different federal states, but received similar information everywhere: waiting times of one to two years are more the rule than the exception.

background of the waiting times

Matthias Hofer, spokesman for the state health agency (LGA), explains that one of the causes of the long waiting times are the increased susceptibility to illness and the general challenges after pandemic. In addition, the surgical capacities are heavily dependent on the respective specialist areas and locations. The lack of staff is a central problem. Acute cases have priority, with chronic diseases such as tonsillitis not fall into any of the urgency categories.

Health care has suffered considerably by reducing the ENT capacity in the Mistelbach State Clinic. District doctors Oskar Kienast critically commented on the current situation: "If even during a routine intervention in a accessible proximity, the state of Lower Austria must find serious solutions." The course of the disease also shows that some diseases can lead to serious health complications.

litanies about frustration and system failure

The patient's mother criticizes that her daughter has to take antibiotics again and again even though surgery is necessary. It is frustrated by a system that does not enable children to maintain the necessary medical care in terms of timely, and asks the question of whether this is really okay. The 17-year-old ultimately decided to visit a private clinic in Vienna, where the operation has already been carried out. However, the family is now faced with the financial consequences - another example of inequality in the health system.

Kienast has repeatedly complained about the handling of the LGA with complaints and demands significant system changes. "It's not just about excuses, but solutions are needed for the problems we experience every day," he says. The health agency adheres to the prioritization of the patients, which is said to be urgency, but there is great skepticism among the population. Many patients know that reality often looks different, with particularly simple interventions such as tonsillectomy bring unnecessary waiting times.

In view of the high financial expenditure for the health system and the broad symptoms, it becomes clear that change is urgently needed here. The hope of improvement remains, but the question arises whether those responsible act in good time before other patients are suffering.