training

Year family medicine established: 2015 (personal interview, 2018)

Type of Training: The training for family medicine is practical training.

Length of Training: 6 years of medical school (MedUni Vienna, n.d.)  is required prior to completion of 3 years of practical training (Kringos et al., n.d.)

Number of institutions that offer family medicine: There are four institutions that teach family medicine, the Medical University Graz, Medical University Innsbruck, Medical University Vienna, and Medical University Salzburg. Family medicine is taught at these universities during medical school, but there is no post-graduate training program (Brekke et al., 2013)

practice

Number of family doctors in country (2016): 13, 869 family physicians (Eurostat, 2016) Key informant says 5,000 family physicians (personal interview, 2018)

Physician to population ratio (2006): 150.8 family physicians per 100,000 people (Masseria et al., 2009)

1 general practitioner sees 2,200 patients (personal interview, 2018).

DALY: 12,069 per 100,000 individuals (Due to all Causes).

Life Expectancy:

• Females 2017: 84.1 years

• Males 2017: 79.3 years

Mortality rate 2017:

• 2017 Males: 79 per 1,000 male adults.

• 2017 Females: 42 per 1,000 female adults.

Infant Immunization-HepB3: % of 1-year-old children received: 85%

College of Family Physicians (Y or N):

• Yes: Austrian Society for General Medicine

  (ÖGAM) founded in 1966

training

In 2015 the new family medicine training program was established. Before this, family doctors were not considered specialists (personal interview, 2018). The training for family medicine is practical training spent in hospitals and outpatient departments. Six months of training is spent in teaching practices, and 36 months is spent in hospital (personal interview, 2018). Once becoming a family physician, there is compulsory continuing medical education (CME), and family doctors will lose their license if they do not complete it (personal interview, 2018).

practice

According to 2016 data, 13 869 family physicians are practicing in Austria; (Eurostat, 2016) however, a key informant says 5,000 family physicians are, (personal interview, 2018). Many family doctors leave and work elsewhere in Europe. In Switzerland, family doctors receive a higher income and in Germany there is a better structure (personal interview, 2018).

It was estimated in 2006 that there were 150.8 family physician per 100,000 people (Masseria et al., 2009)  with 1 general practitioner seeing 2,200 patients (personal interview, 2018).  The role of a family physician is variable, general practice and family doctor is the term commonly used. There is a broad range of roles, and they treat patients at the first level for all conditions. They guide patients through the health system and provide continuous and comprehensive care (personal interview, 2018).