ÖGK revolution: Doctors call for basic reforms for patients!

ÖGK revolution: Doctors call for basic reforms for patients!

Österreich - On May 28, 2025, a dialogue between the Austrian Medical Association and the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) took place. The discussion was primarily about the savings program of the ÖGK and its effects on adequate care for patients. Significant three -digit million amounts for the ÖGK have been planned in the next two years. Edgar Wutscher, Vice President of the Medical Association, expects the ÖGK to resume the fee negotiations that have been stalling for a few months.

Wutscher had clear demands: he demands a fundamental renewal of the health system and offers to submit suggestions for cutting costs that should not add additional strain on the patients. In his view, up to 85 percent of the ÖGK budget could be optimized by targeted structural improvements. In particular, he criticized the request to doctors to prescribe fewer MRTS and CTS, as they represent important diagnostic instruments.

criticism of savings

Wutscher warned that savings are often made in the wrong places and emphasized that potential for savings is rather in other areas. An example of inefficient structures are the ÖGK-owned telemedic medical offers that exist in parallel with other existing services.

The role of ÖGK

The ÖGK is the largest health insurance institution in Austria and offers protection for 7.6 million people in the event of illness. Their goal is to help the insured and their families to become healthy and to live sustainably. That is why the ÖGK also emphasizes the importance of exercise for health and well-being and invests in the expansion of the supply and services offer as well as in digital offers. These initiatives are intended to help improve health care and to avoid standstill ( Gesundheitskasse.at ).

digital health strategy

In order to improve health care sustainably, Austria developed the "eHealth strategy", which was presented on July 10, 2024. This strategy provides for digital access to the health system and health data for all citizens by 2030. Part of this strategy include telemedical offers and digital health apps, which are to be introduced as part of a pilot project from 2025 ( Gesundheits.gv.at ).

Some of the strategic goals include improving health treatments for people with chronic diseases, as well as the expansion of the electronic health record (ELGA). In the future, this will contain information about medication, previous illnesses and laboratory findings and thus improve access to important health data for doctors, health professions and patients.

The responsible persons have also announced that the health hotline in 1450 will be expanded into the first point of contact for health issues, while data security plays a central role in this transformation process, as Health Minister Johannes Rauch emphasized. In addition, 51 million euros are provided annually for the digitization of the health system.