To increase the attractiveness of SHI-affiliated physicians placements in rural areas, the Austrian health insurance fund (ÖGK, Österreichische Gesundheitskasse) is promoting two measures in 2023.
Austria faces critical imbalances in the distribution of physicians with a SHI contract. While the number of non-contracted physicians (Wahlarzt) increased by 40% between 2009 and 2019, the number of contracted physicians remained stable or even decreased in some medical specialities (for example, paediatricians or gynaecologists). In early 2023, about 3% of the positions of contracted physicians remained vacant (99 positions for GPs, 72 for specialists and 142 for dentists out of a total of 10 644 positions), particularly in rural areas. As non-contracted physicians can set their fees freely and usually charge more than the SHI funds would reimburse, the imbalance of contracted physicians is a major reason for concern; specifically with regards to equity of access to ambulatory care.
Starting in the summer 2023, the ÖGK will award 50 scholarships to medical students who commit themselves to working as SHI contracted physicians in general medicine, paediatrics and adolescent medicine, gynaecology and obstetrics, psychiatry and psychotherapeutic medicine or child and adolescent psychiatry in underserved regions for at least five years after completing their training. All students at Austrian universities from the third year of study onwards are eligible. The scholarship of EUR 923 is paid out on a monthly basis for up to 42 months.
The second measure is a professional support package that allows physicians to outsource organisational and managerial tasks, either individually or as a whole package. Support can be sought, for example, in setting up and equipping the practice, for running IT systems, for billing and for receptionists. This help will enable physicians to focus on medical work. These services will be financed by a portion of the earnings of the physicians. The SHI funds seek to extend the support measure for physicians across the country. A pilot project in the federal state of Vorarlberg has already started; however, details of the measure and a legal basis still need to be defined and specified.