Austria has a highly functional public healthcare system that is supported by an established eHealth infrastructure. This forms a solid basis for the use of digital solutions, with the electronic health record (ELGA) being one of the key infrastructures. What has been lacking to date and is becoming increasingly important in view of the challenges in the healthcare sector (ageing population, staffing situation, etc.) is a consolidated, nationwide strategy for digitalisation in the area of health and care.
This document establishes such a strategy, which is also anchored in the Healthcare Reform 2023, and defines goals and measures for the period from 2024 to 2030. Both the eHealth strategy and the agreements under Art. 15a BV-G on health target management and on the organisation and financing of the healthcare system follow the principle of ‘digital before outpatient before inpatient’. The strategy is a vision supported by all relevant system stakeholders that allows developments relating to digitalisation to be initiated, coordinated and reflected upon.