And other medical observations
As a fully documented Austrian citizen, and having now routinely partaken of various components of Austria’s medical system, I can happily pass along to you some of my keen observations about how things are done here. As you might expect – they’re very different!
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| The Apotheke: Something old, something new |
Rule #1 – Be Sociable!
When you walk into the waiting room of a doctor’s office in Vienna, it is customary to greet all those assembled with a friendly Grüss Gott (the typical Austrian salutation) or Guten Tag. Virtually everyone reciprocates. When you leave, signal your departure with a cheery Wiedersehen (Wieners often leave off the ‘auf’) and your fellow patients will again reply in kind. A mere formality, perhaps, but a rather agreeable way the Austrians have of ‘socializing’ their medicine.
Rule #2 – Have eCard, Will Treat
It is the law that all Austrian citizens must be insured. (Hear that, America?) With that, you get a plastic insurance identity card – the ‘eCard’ – which you simply present at each doctor and lab visit, and at the Apotheke when you get prescriptions filled (for only €5). No co-pay is required at these visits, and there is no haggling with an insurance company to prove that you needed medical service. The doctor sees you, orders tests or procedures, and the insurance pays. Fertig! (Done!) And premiums? If I were employed full-time, the company would pay all or most of that, but as an independent, self-employed contractor I have to pay my own – like in the U.S. But here, the cost of my insurance for an entire year is equivalent to what I would have to pay for just a few months in the U.S.
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Rule #3 – Signs are not WYSIWYG
Language learners are always cautioned about ‘false friends’ – words that look like ones in your own language but mean something different. In the wacky world of Austrian medicine, often What You See Is NOT What You Get, and this threw me at first. What do you think these words mean?
Kontrolle
Termin
Ordination
Ambulanz
Labor
(Answers below, but don’t peak until you’ve tried to guess!)
Rule #4 – Learn Your Metric System
Forms frequently ask how tall I am and how much I weigh, but I was clueless when it came to centimeters and kilos. With a nifty iPhone conversion app, however, I am now able to answer quite accurately. (And no, I’m not publishing those statistics here!)
Rule #5 – Your Body – Your Files
In one sense, the process here operates like an HMO. You have a GP, from whom you must get a referral (Überweisung) the first time you see a specialist or whenever you go for tests. But in the U.S., usually that specialist or lab sends the report to your GP. Here, you either wait for the results or they get sent to you (post or e-mail), and then you need to bring them with you when you return to see your GP. Radiology films, blood test results, etc. – in Austria these are all your property and your responsibility as the patient. A bit cumbersome, yes, but hey – I’m not paying an arm and a leg either!
Rule #6 – Wear Good Walking Shoes
As far as I understand it, there is no mail-order pharmacy here. You get prescriptions, as well as refill prescriptions, in person from your doctor. No appointment is required – you just stop by their office, and there is very little waiting, Danke schön – but it does require a trip each time. And when your doctors are located in different parts of the city, you get to do a fair amount of commuting to take care of these things. Again, a bit cumbersome, but at these rates, it’s something you take (ahem) in stride.
Rule #7 – English is OK, but German is Better
So far I’ve managed to understand what’s been told to me auf Deutsch, and sometimes I can even get out a phrase or sentence in broken German. But most providers I’ve seen are reasonably proficient in English. Still, the reports are in German (duh!), and I need my dictionary for the technical stuff. Time, practice, and patience – that’s what I keep telling myself – and eventually I’ll get it.
On the whole, I’d rate the system a solid A. The equipment is clearly state-of-the-art, and the practitioners extremely thorough, knowledgeable, and kind. Naturally, I’m hoping I won’t have to use them all that much, but I feel like if I do, I’ll be in good hands.
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NOT WYSIWYG:
Kontrolle = check-up
Termin = appointment
Ordination = open office hours (no appointment needed)
Ambulanz = clinic
Labor = laboratory
