What has often been heard is now proven by data from the Austrian Statistical Office: more and more doctors are choosing to work as specialists or elective doctors. However, the number of general practitioners is decreasing. A huge wave of retirements is also expected among them in the coming years.
In 2018, there were 169.4 doctors available in general medicine per 100,000 inhabitants, in 2022 this would have only been 145.1. In the same period the number of specialists increased (from 262.4 to 304.7). Despite the many specialists, there are areas in which public care is difficult, such as child and adolescent psychiatry. In addition, there is a general shortage of statutory health insurers, as more and more people opt for the elective area.
Here you can see the numbers over time.
The job as a specialist is usually more lucrative. According to the Austrian Statistical Office, there are large differences per state. Vorarlberg has the fewest general practitioners, based on population density, and Vienna the most. Vienna also has the most specialists, Upper Austria the fewest.
Decades of debate
The need for general medicine to be strengthened again has been discussed in Austria for decades. Last year, Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) announced that he would introduce specialist training in general medicine and family medicine.
Source: Krone
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