Since the end of the Covid quarantine on Monday, it is also possible to report sick again. But there is now a lot of uncertainty about the concrete implementation in practice: the medical association contradicts the Ministry of Health that this only applies to corona cases.
Contrary to the original information from the ministry, the medical association stated that absenteeism by telephone was “possible for all diseases”. However, the Ministry of Health and the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) insist that you can only get sick by phone with Corona.
Medical Association: “Don’t get confused”
In the earlier variant, absenteeism by telephone was possible for all illnesses during the pandemic. Now you have to go back to the doctor for sick leave – unless you feel sick and (presumably) have Corona, the Ministry of Health already announced on Sunday.
However, the medical association contradicted this in a broadcast on Monday: “Patients should not be confused. From our point of view, it is still possible to call in sick by phone for all illnesses,” said Edgar Wutscher, vice president of the ÖÄK and chairman of the Federal Curia of Local Physicians.
Phone sick leave partly never finished
In some federal states, such as Vienna, the telemedical rules in the general contract have never put an end to the telephone call for sick leave. In the other federal states too, the determination of incapacity for work is in principle the responsibility of the doctor.
“If the doctor feels that a patient is unable to work, he or she will also be given sick leave — including over the phone, if possible,” Wutscher said. However, if necessary, it will still be necessary to carry out a clarification in the consecration.
Ministry urges restriction
The Department of Health said Monday in response to another APA request that a doctor’s sick leave basically requires personal, i.e., physical contact with the patient. The re-introduced sick report by phone on August 1, “should only be possible for diseases that can be traced back to a SARS-CoV-2 infection”.
A statutory regulation is not necessary, the health insurers are responsible.
Covid patients must also be reported
The ÖGK said the telephone absenteeism had already been regulated by the ‘Obman’s Order’ – and only for suspected corona cases and those who tested positive with symptoms. What’s new is that you have to take active sick leave with Corona: Previously, this was done automatically by means of a special reminder – but with the end of the quarantine, the corresponding reminders were no longer available.
Source: Krone
I’m an experienced news author and editor based in New York City. I specialize in covering healthcare news stories for Today Times Live, helping to keep readers informed on the latest developments related to the industry. I have a deep understanding of medical topics, including emerging treatments and drugs, the changing laws that regulate healthcare providers, and other matters that affect public health.
