Lower Austria's Red Cross overhauls emergency care amid staff shortages
Lower Austria's healthcare system is undergoing significant changes to meet growing demands. A mix of an ageing population, medical advancements and staff shortages has pushed authorities to restructure emergency services. The Red Cross has now released its 2025 annual report, detailing key reforms and their impact on care.
One of the biggest shifts involves emergency physician stations. Starting next year, 11 of the current 32 stations will close. To compensate, advanced emergency paramedics will take on expanded roles, including administering intravenous infusions and medications. Over 1,500 Red Cross personnel have already gained these new qualifications.
The number of specialist emergency doctors in the region has risen by around 18% over the past five years. In 2021, there were 142; by 2025, that figure reached 168. The increase comes from expanded training programmes at the Landesklinikum and EU-wide recognition of the qualification since 2023. Despite this growth, younger doctors continue to leave for urban centres.
Critics argue that the training period for these new roles remains too short compared to international standards. Meanwhile, the Red Cross has seen a 2.4% rise in volunteers, with more than 19,000 now contributing nearly 2.4 million hours of unpaid work annually. Daily missions have stabilised at over 2,500, matching pre-pandemic levels, and no major disasters were reported in 2025.
Looking ahead, the organisation has introduced basic telemedicine training. Launched in January 2026, the programme has already trained 27 emergency physicians, who now handle around 300 remote missions each month.
The reforms aim to balance reduced physician coverage with broader paramedic responsibilities. Telemedicine and volunteer growth are expected to play a larger role in maintaining service levels. Authorities will continue monitoring the changes as demand for emergency care evolves.
