Where does rehabilitation stand in Austria? According to Stefan Günther, Secretary General of the Association of Austrian Private Clinics, there is still a need for optimization despite excellent performance. In this interview, he explains the extent to which multiple illnesses, telemedicine and the individual patient play a role.
Mr. Günther, how good is rehabilitation in Austria?
By international standards, Austria has an excellent healthcare system, of which rehabilitation is an integral and essential part. This is not a matter of course! Nevertheless, there is of course room for improvement.
Where should optimization measures start?
Rehabilitation must be even closer to the reality of life. The tripartite structure of inpatient hospitalization, rehabilitation and outpatient treatment is becoming increasingly fragmented and the demands on rehabilitation are increasing, particularly with regard to complementary diagnostics and a holistic view of the disease process. I see a need for political action here: first and foremost, the various phases - acute and post-acute - need to be networked. It has also been scientifically proven that rehabilitation medicine has very positive effects on subsequent healing and recovery, even before an operation. The course must be set so that the various healthcare providers can work more closely together.
More and more people are affected by chronic diseases - how can rehabilitation be helpful here?
Chronic illnesses are not the only key issue: people are also getting older and older, and more and more are affected by multimorbidity, i.e. they suffer from several illnesses. Rehabilitation medicine is no longer just about curing or improving a single health problem, but simply about maintaining the best possible quality of life and participation in life. How this can look varies greatly from individual to individual. The teams at our clinics are therefore multi-professional and interdisciplinary. We look at people from very different angles, not at individual clinical pictures.
Is telemedicine a competitor for conventional inpatient rehabilitation facilities?
On the contrary! We would very much welcome the anchoring and remuneration of telemedicine! After inpatient rehabilitation, most patients are overwhelmed by being back in everyday life, having to function and then having to integrate the behaviors and exercises they have learned. Once again, it is the post-acute phase that needs to come more into focus: It has been proven that better integration of rehabilitation into everyday life not only has immediate positive effects, but also in a preventative sense to avoid or postpone future health impairments. Only if the post-rehabilitation phase, and thus prevention, can also take full effect will rehabilitation have achieved its goal in the long term!
