Radical changes in Vienna hospitals this summer
Peter Hacker, the health advisor in Vienna, announced a massive project that will simplify the way appointments are booked in hospital clinics. Starting from summer, or by autumn at the latest, patients will be able to book their appointments through the unified health number 1450, instead of calling each clinic directly.
Until now, patients had to manually search for the numbers of different clinics and call them during working hours, which caused delays and confusion for many people. Now, the system will be available 24/7 through line 1450. Work is currently underway on the details of the booking process, including verification of medical referrals or test reports.
The hacker described this change as a "Riesenprojekt" (huge project), confirming that it had been in development for a long time as part of a series of measures to improve patient flow management in the healthcare system, especially under the great pressure that hospitals in the capital are experiencing due to receiving a large number of patients from other states.
An additional measure has been implemented regarding the prohibition of Nebentätigkeit (side jobs) for part-time doctors working in Vienna hospitals. Since last December, no new permits have been granted for any additional jobs for these doctors. Meanwhile, full-time doctors remain free to engage in additional professional activities, and old permits remain valid for those who obtained them previously, in respect of their past investments.
These measures aim to improve the efficiency of the healthcare system and ensure better care for citizens in Vienna.