Purpose: The purpose is built up a strong PHC capacity in Austria and strengthen PHC generally to enable coordinated, continuous und sustainable patient and community care, equip health professionals and attract them – especially young health professionals – to work in multiprofessional primary care units (PCU). *** Context: 100 million euro as part of the European recovery and resilience fonds are supposed to strengthen PHU in Austria. 10 million euro are dedicated to establishing a platform for PHC at the Austrian National Public Health Institute. 90 million euro will be given to founders and invested in the establishment of PCU directly.
The platform contains following measures: Coordinator of funding programmes, PC Incubator to support project ideas regarding PHC topics incl. mentorship, PC accelerator to support PCU founders incl. coaching, Pivotal point for and moderator of information, knowledge and experience (website, workshops, courses etc.), Interface between participants of the PHC reform: practice, stakeholder incl. advocacy groups, research and education, students, trainees, Impact monitoring for measures, Process of social innovation – change management for practice and system level. *** State of the art: The purpose of the Austrian PHC reform in 2012 was to strengthen primary care by the establishment of multiprofessional primary care units (PCU) and attract PC for health professionals. Nevertheless, progress in PHC reform implementation is slow. Only 25 from planned 75 PHC units are established in Austria at the beginning of 2021. Study results show barriers regarding high financial investment and personal efforts (entrepreneurship, leadership, system knowledge) of GPs for foundation. GPs rarely know about the conditions of PCU and PHC in general, health professionals lack of skills on communication and processes in practice (team, patient care) as well as low-hierarchical mindset for interprofessional collaboration. Missing clear strategy and vision as well as discourse between stakeholders of practice, network and system level inhibits development. Information and knowledge transfer on experiences as well as status quo and plans regarding PHC reform only are present in a restricted way in a PHC network consisting of volunteers. A strong lead regarding the mentioned aspects is missing in Austria and misleads the reform efforts.
(summary: fragmented PC health professionals, lack of knowledge – leadership, interprofessional collaboration, PHC etc., high efforts and investment for founders, , system barriers – education and vocational training, remuneration, policy reform strategy, vision and communication, lack of structured horizontal and vertical communication on information, development, experience, etc.) *** Statements for debate: A national platform for PHC equipped with a stable team and financial resources strongly connected with national and practical level could built up a sustainable PHC capacity in Austria and support the establishment of 72 PCUs until 2026.