The Austrian Medical Association emphasizes that the “voluntary obligation” presented according to a report by the Chamber of Labor will not bring any long-term improvements.
Vienna (OTS) – “Instead of considering whether medical students can be “voluntarily” “obliged” to work in the public health system, the actual structural problems should be eliminated,” says Johannes Steinhart, President of the Austrian Medical Association. According to the report, according to the University Act, up to five percent of study places could be dedicated to “tasks in the public interest”; applicants for these places would only have to achieve 75 percent of the number of points of all applicants who took the entrance test (MedAT), according to the proposal. After all, it is emphasized that this quota should not serve as a replacement for better working conditions and pay for doctors in the public system, but rather as a supplement: “But even as a supplement, that would be a drop in the ocean,” emphasizes Steinhart. The big problem is that Austria has to be competitive in training, which also includes working conditions and structural framework conditions.
Training offensive and roster reliability
This is also underlined by Harald Mayer, ÖÄK Vice President and Federal Curia Chairman of the employed doctors: “It would be so simple: more appreciation for our doctors and their services for health care, proper training and a policy that takes this seriously and finally “A long overdue training offensive is starting,” he says. “That coupled with better planning of working hours – keyword reliability of rosters – as well as the reduction of excessive bureaucratic activities that distract from the actual medical tasks – and the medical profession would be made attractive,” he is convinced. These suggestions clearly show that there are more suitable means and solutions to combat the acute shortage of doctors. On the other hand, even considering obligations for graduates of medical studies is not exactly a sign of creativity and a sense of reality: “Anyone who feels compelled will not enjoy working in any job in the world,” says Mayer: “And it doesn’t make it any better if you do tried to camouflage the whole thing with the fig leaf of the ‘voluntary obligation’ mentioned in the report. Patients deserve the best doctors – whether they commit or not.”
Uniform and modern statutory health insurance services
The focus should be on the general conditions, adds Edgar Wutscher, ÖÄK Vice President and Chairman of the Federal Curia for resident doctors. The aim must be to present statutory health insurance as an attractive professional field again so that more doctors work in public health: “The solutions are obvious: On the one hand, there should be a uniform catalog of services with modern statutory health insurance services that all patients benefit from benefit Austria-wide, should finally be implemented,” says Wutscher: “On the other hand, limitations and degressions should be shelved, because these are an obstacle and demotivating for statutory health insurance physicians.” In this context, he judges the proposals from the Chamber of Labor and the deputy to be “nonsensical”. ÖGK chairman Andreas Huss wants to change the billing of individual services to flat rates: “Dreaming of flat-rate fees will not work in reality and will only increase the supply problem, because this will mean that even more practicing doctors will turn their backs on statutory health insurance,” he is convinced . He once again points out that elective doctors would generally work in the health insurance system, but under different conditions: “We have very good public health care, but we also have to invest in it,” Wutscher is convinced.
Questions & Contact:
Austrian Medical Association
Mag. Sophie Niedenzu, MSc
public relation
01/51406/3316
s.niedenzu@aerztekammer.at
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