Alarming research – healthcare system: frustration among Austrians is increasing

While in May 2020, 37 percent of the 1,000 respondents were “very satisfied” with healthcare, this was only nine percent in May. The results have been presented at the Schladming AHF Congress and will be discussed there.

Declining quality
Austrians are less satisfied with their healthcare system than before the pandemic. In the most recent survey, more than half (57 percent) of respondents said they were “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with their local healthcare provider. But 65 percent also saw a deterioration in care, while last year 59 percent complained about declining quality.

Annoying search for a doctor’s appointment
Half (50 percent) found it difficult to get a doctor’s appointment. In 2023, there was criticism of the appointment availability of 33 percent. In addition to the availability of appointments, other aspects were also questioned: about a third rated the Austrian healthcare system in a simple and clear way as “not” (24 percent) or “not at all” (8 percent). More than one in ten said they ‘didn’t know’ or ‘didn’t know at all’ where to go if they had a medical problem. At least half of those surveyed asked close family and friends.

Christoph Hörhan, organizer of the Austrian Health Forum, interpreted the survey results in general as a “loss of confidence”. This would be part of a “European trend” that the WHO has already pointed out. This year the AHF Forum in Schladming has confidence in the healthcare system and medical care as a general theme.