In the fight against the shortage of doctors, Chancellor Karl Nehammer is considering compulsory work. The Vienna Medical Association speaks of “DDR fantasies” and presents a new report.
There is a shortage of doctors in many disciplines in the private sector and in public hospitals. The problem: Austria trains enough doctors, but up to 40 percent of graduates go abroad or do not practice medicine (study). The public health system is suffering greatly. Some politicians are therefore loudly considering making doctors mandatory in the public health sector.
The Medical Association is taking over politics
Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) also recently spoke about an obligation for medical graduates in Austria to work. The Viennese Medical Association, already belligerent, received little acclaim. Executive Vice President Dr. Stefan Ferenci: “We are afraid that these GDR fantasies will get stuck in the heads of politicians. It is a supposedly simple solution that does not cost politicians any money. But it’s not that simple.” Ferenci refers to legal advice commissioned by the Vienna Medical Association.
Mandatory obligation for doctors is legally difficult
Constitutional expert Karl Stöger of the University of Vienna concludes that “a legal (not voluntary) obligation to work as a doctor in the public health sector violates several fundamental rights and freedoms, as well as European rights”. The medical law specialist also believes that the only solution is to improve working conditions in the hospital and make the field of panel doctors more attractive. Voluntary models, including student loan models (where costs are “passed on to the graduates”) would also be viable solutions.
States rely on financial incentives
Some states are trying to make up for the shortage of doctors with money. For example, Burgenland offers a doctor’s salary package with a gross annual salary of €140,000 at the start of your career and €200,000 at the end. Lower Austria supports medical students who, after completing their studies, commit to work in a private practice in Lower Austria or in a state clinic.
Voluntary commitments are not a legal issue. European legal expert Walter Obwexer and constitutional lawyer Peter Bußjäger agree that if an emergency arises due to a shortage of doctors, mandatory commitments are also possible. There is room for maneuver here.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
