First consequences

No help for woman: hospital manager resigns

The case from Rohrbach caused a stir throughout Austria.(Bild: Wolfgang Spitzbart)

Following the death of a woman in a hospital in Rohrbach (Upper Austria), there are now initial consequences: hospital manager Franz Harnoncourt asked for his contract to be terminated on Monday. The head of 16,000 hospital employees in Upper Austria has been criticized for some time, and his resignation was apparently not voluntary. 

"I have asked Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander to terminate my contract prematurely." With these words, hospital manager Franz Harnoncourt confirmed his resignation in a press release.

At a special meeting of the Upper Austrian Healthcare Board on Monday morning, he informed the Supervisory Board of his decision, which was probably not entirely voluntary. He is resigning from his position at Gesundheitsholding as well as his post as Managing Director of the Kepler University Hospital in Linz.

Franz Harnoncourt (left) asked Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander to terminate his contract.(Bild: Peter C. Mayr)

No help for patient, operations canceled
As reported, the healthcare system in Upper Austria is currently being heavily criticized. First it became known that operations at Upper Austria's most important hospital, the Kepler University Clinic in Linz, had to be canceled, then the care of an emergency patient at the Rohrbach Clinic caused outrage throughout the country. 

As reported by the "Krone" newspaper, a woman from Mühlviertel (54) sought help in the emergency room at Rohrbach Hospital - and did not make it out alive. The doctors diagnosed a rupture in her aorta and immediately ordered her to be transferred to a specialist clinic. However, the woman was turned away from several hospitals - from the Wels-Grieskirchen Hospital as well as the Linz University Hospital. There would have been capacity in Salzburg, but it was no longer possible to transport the woman there.

"I no longer have any options"
In a statement, Harnoncourt writes: "After more than seven years of working in Upper Austria, it seems to me that I no longer have the opportunity to shape the situation. I have obviously not succeeded, or not sufficiently, in setting the course within the organization, both at the regional clinics and at Kepler University Hospital, in such a way that the difficult conditions for our patients and employees are felt as little as possible."

The decision deserves respect. Such a step is never easy and requires personal strength as well as a great sense of responsibility towards the Oberösterreichische Gesundheitsholding.

LH-Stellvertreterin Christine Haberlander, ÖVP

Haberlander: "The decision deserves respect"
The politician responsible for healthcare in Upper Austria, Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander (ÖVP), reacted to the resignation of the state's most important hospital manager on Monday: "The decision deserves respect. Such a step is never easy and requires personal strength as well as a great sense of responsibility towards the Upper Austrian Health Holding. I would like to thank Dr. Franz Harnoncourt for his many years of excellent cooperation and his willingness to ensure an orderly transition."

As far as the succession at the top of Oberösterreichische Gesundheitsholding and Kepler-Uniklinikum is concerned, both positions will be advertised by OÖ. Landesholding are being advertised. In future, they are to be filled by two different people. Until now, Harnoncourt has held both management jobs.