Federal and State Governments launch Joint Healthcare Reform Initiative in Austria

On November 7, 2025, the meeting of the Health Reform Partnership was held, comprising representatives of the federal states responsible for hospitals (represented in the partnership by the City of Vienna and the federal states of Upper Austria, Burgenland, and Styria), the social insurance system, the association of cities and municipalities, and the governing parties. It was agreed that the federal government and the states are jointly assuming responsibility for a comprehensive reform agenda.

As part of the reform process, four nationwide reform groups will be established. These groups will begin their work immediately and develop concrete measures:

• Clinical Emergency Care: the next step is to analyze process structures, with a particular focus on time-critical clinical conditions, such as cardiovascular, vascular surgery, and neurological emergencies. The aim is to ensure clear structures and smooth procedures, allowing medical staff to concentrate on patient care fully;
• Digitalization: the targeted digitalization of core processes aims to ensure that medically relevant information reaches exactly where it is needed, in real-time, securely, and completely. Digitalization is not an added feature, but a basic prerequisite for patient safety;
• Public Healthcare System Instead of a Two-Tier System: there will be an open and honest analysis of where private healthcare offerings provide a meaningful complement, and where they may jeopardize care within the public system;
• Professional Roles and Working Conditions.

The reform groups will be assigned clear tasks and deadlines. The goal is to begin implementing the first measures promptly, transparently, and in close coordination among the federal government, the states, and system partners. In addition, an external analysis of the care structure will be commissioned. This analysis will serve as the basis for all further reform steps.

The full details in German can be found here.

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