New Hospital Contract

This Is How Many Styrian Patients Are Now Coming to Upper Austria

Michael Koren, managing director of the Styrian Health Fund, helped negotiate the contract with the Salzkammergut Clinic in Bad Ischl.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Christian Jauschowetz, Wolfgang Spitzbart)

Hailed throughout Austria as a model of excellence, yet sometimes heavily criticized in the states involved: Since April, an official partnership has been in place between Styria and Upper Austria, resulting in more Styrian patients receiving care in Bad Ischl. Here’s an initial assessment.

From Health Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) to Styrian LKH CEO Gerhard Stark: The hospital partnership between the states of Styria and Upper Austria has received widespread praise as a pioneering model. After the minor surgery unit at LKH Bad Aussee closed at the end of March, the agreement with the clinic in Bad Ischl went into effect. The clinic has committed to admitting Styrian patients in the fields of surgery and internal medicine. Funding for this comes from Styria, with an initial budget of 3.8 million euros per year.

There has been criticism in both states, particularly from the SPÖ. In Upper Austria, there were fears that local patients would no longer be able to secure a spot. In Styria, the arrangement is viewed as creating an unhealthy dependence on the neighboring state, precisely because the agreement can be terminated annually. 

Nevertheless, Styria has since entered into another cooperation agreement with Salzburg, specifically between the hospitals in Schladming and Schwarzach. This agreement concerns obstetrics, as that department is being closed in Schladming.

About 30 more Styrian patients per month
In response to an inquiry from the “Krone,” the Styrian Health Fund, led by Managing Director Michael Koren, has now presented an initial assessment of the partnership with Upper Austria—though it immediately qualifies this by noting that “it is far too short a period for a well-founded assessment of changes in patient flows and the effectiveness of care.” At least one year would be necessary for that. In the inpatient sector, six additional Styrian cases per month have been recorded so far in surgery; in orthopedics and traumatology, the figure was nine; and in internal medicine, there were 14 additional cases.

This is in line with expectations. Approximately 300 patients from Styria were already being admitted to Bad Ischl each year, and this number is expected to double. Incidentally, there have been no increases in outpatient visits so far. 

Higher Patient Volume at Rottenmann Regional Hospital
And in Styria? Well, in Bad Aussee, the number of outpatients treated has actually increased by 14 percent since April. An internal medicine outpatient clinic is now open around the clock there. At Rottenmann Regional Hospital, there was an 11 percent increase in surgical cases (both inpatient and outpatient), while in internal medicine, the increase was 3 percent for inpatient care and 11 percent for outpatient care.