Vienna's hacker is angry

“How does Lower Austria get the idea to give me orders?”

Vienna is delighted with its new super lab. The standoff between Health Councilor Hacker and Lower Austria continues to harden.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Hertha Hurnausfre/Urbantschitsch)

The new, modern central laboratory went into operation at the Favoriten Clinic. Vienna sets standards. City Councilor for Health Peter Hacker (SPÖ) also used the stage to make an announcement directed at Lower Austria.

The Vienna Health Association has confidently opened its new central laboratory at the Favoriten Clinic. "We want a modern healthcare system in this city," said Health Councilor Peter Hacker (SPÖ). And this facility is further proof that even in difficult economic times, promises are kept. At the heart of the new building is a fully automated laboratory line. Samples are transported from throughout the clinic to the laboratory via pneumatic tube, where they are automatically centrifuged, analyzed, and archived. 370 devices are available. Around three million analyses are carried out here every year.

Vienna's new laboratory sets standards
"Laboratory findings form a fundamental basis for clinical decision-making processes," emphasized Michael Binder, Medical Director of the Vienna Health Association. Without modern laboratory medicine, precise medicine would be "unthinkable." Especially in the inpatient sector, almost every relevant decision is based on corresponding results.
According to those responsible for the project, the construction itself was completed in record time. Groundbreaking took place in 2024, and the handover was completed on schedule. 500 planning meetings and around 350 participants were involved.

We are happy to treat patients from other countries, but that costs resources. How did Lower Austria get the idea that they could give me orders?

Gesundheitsstadtrat Peter Hacker (SPÖ)

Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch

"Every day there is a surprising pirouette in Lower Austria."
But the event was more than just a construction celebration. Hacker also added fuel to the fire in the dispute with Lower Austria over guest patients. His neighbor said: "While Lower Austria is developing the 2040+ health plan to secure the health landscape in the long term, Vienna is lagging behind." When asked whether Vienna now wanted to learn more from Lower Austria, Hacker replied "Every day there is a surprising pirouette in Lower Austria."

Number of guest patients remains high
The fact is that Vienna cares for well over two million people—including up to 40 to 50 percent of patients from the surrounding area in private practice and 23 percent of all operations performed on Lower Austrians.

"How did you get the idea that you could give me orders?"
We are happy to treat patients from other countries, but that costs resources. "The laboratory here is designed for a little over two million inhabitants – not four million." Lower Austria wants to negotiate, but it must finally put proposals on the table. "And how did Lower Austria get the idea that it could give me orders?"