63 percent men

ÖGK wants more gynecologists with health insurance contracts

A patient with a gynecologist(Bild: YakobchukOlena/stock.adobe.com)

The Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) wants to provide more gynecologists with health insurance contracts. There should be separate women's health centers in which gynecologists work together with midwives, said ÖGK chairman Andreas Huss at the weekend.

At present, 63 percent of all SHI-accredited gynecologists are men and only 37 percent are women. Many women are doctors of choice and the aim now is to offer them better working conditions in primary care centers. However, according to Huss, this would require a change in the law, as these centers are currently only permitted for general practitioners and paediatricians.

"If we are quick, we can decide on this in the fall and perhaps implement it as early as 1 January."

Ministry of Health: ÖGK has options
The Ministry of Health takes a different view. In a statement, it says that the initiative is welcomed, but that ÖGK already has the legal and financial possibilities for the project. 300 million a year has been earmarked to strengthen care in the private practice sector.

"Group practices for gynaecologists can already be put out to tender." Primary care centers are "first points of contact for general health-related questions and concerns" and should offer basic medical care. Therefore, family doctors and pediatricians should always be available. "The team (...) can already include gynecologists and midwives," the Ministry of Health announced.