Cooperation with doctors

Cataracts: ending the long wait for surgery

Waiting times for eye operations are to be significantly reduced (symbolic image).

(Bild: OÖG)

Patients have to wait 45 to 87 weeks before it is their turn for cataract surgery in Styrian hospitals. Now, doctors in private practice are to provide support next year in order to reduce the backlog that has built up, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. Millions will be spent on this.

In Styria, more than 12,200 people with cataracts are currently waiting for cataract surgery - between eleven months and one and a half years, depending on the progression of the disease. This is too long, according to Karlheinz Kornhäusl (ÖVP), Styrian Health Minister. For this reason, a cooperation with ophthalmologists in private practice is being set up: Those waiting can have the operation performed free of charge in private practice.

However, the doctors in question must "meet clearly defined criteria, such as having performed at least 550 operations in the past one and a half years", as Michael Koren from the Styrian Health Fund explained. They receive 2000 euros per operation. The operation can take place in operating theaters available at Kages, but also in the operating theaters of Kages.

Kages Board Member Gerhard Stark, Michael Koren (Health Fund), Provincial Councillor Karlheinz Kornhäusl, SPÖ Club Chairman Hannes Schwarz and Kages Board Member Ulf Drabek.

(Bild: LandSteiermark/Binder)

A total of 6.3 million euros will be made available for this project. The decisions are to be made in mid-November. The first letters to those waiting are to be sent out at the beginning of 2025. The project is scheduled to run for one year: around 3100 patients whose surgery is of medium urgency are to receive free surgery in private practice during this period, explained SPÖ parliamentary group chairman Hannes Schwarz. The places that become available as a result will be filled by patients with a higher degree of urgency, which will also reduce waiting times at this stage.

New help for breast cancer patients
Further measures were presented on Wednesday: The "OnkoMobil" project aims to improve the quality of care in oncology aftercare. The pilot phase will start with breast cancer patients who will receive specialist medical expertise via telemedicine instead of having to make the often long and time-consuming journey to Graz. A total of 1,500 patients are to be admitted to this form of care within three years from mid-2025. The costs have been estimated at 2.6 million euros.

Leoben: Linear accelerator for 17 million euros
In order to reduce waiting times in radiotherapy, a second linear accelerator will also be purchased for the LKH Hochsteiermark in Leoben at a cost of around 17 million euros, reported Ulf Drabek, Kages Board Member for Finance and Technology. Until now, some patients had to be brought to Graz for capacity reasons.

In addition, the psychological care of cancer patients and their relatives is to be strengthened, as sometimes radiation therapy that does not start immediately appears to be a waiting period, but is actually a wait for the optimal radiation time, which is determined by scientific guidelines, as Kornhäusl explained. "This needs to be better explained to patients," said the Provincial Councillor.

Portal outpatient clinic at children's hospital again
Kages CEO Gerhard Stark emphasized the increased quality of care already achieved through the expansion of day and weekly clinics. An increase of 49% in day clinic services had been achieved since 2017, and the new portal outpatient clinic at the children's hospital would now treat nine out of ten patients on an outpatient basis and relieve the pressure on inpatient resources.

The Styrian Neos expressly welcomed the initiatives, but described the measures presented as "emergency band-aids". According to Neos leader Niko Swatek, a full-time bonus for healthcare staff, an increase in stand-in services and a bureaucracy reduction offensive that would give healthcare staff more time for patients are needed to reduce waiting times for all procedures.