General practitioners play a key role in medical care in Austria. For the majority of patients, they are the first point of contact for health-related questions and problems. This is confirmed by a current survey by the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) in cooperation with the online research institute Marketagent. 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 75 took part in the survey.
Nine out of ten Austrians stated that they had a permanent general practitioner. Around 43 percent have been in treatment for more than ten years, almost a quarter for more than six years.
The interviewees see the greatest advantages of general practitioners in the comprehensive knowledge of their personal medical history. In addition, many appreciate the family doctor as a trusted contact person for health concerns. Patients also find it helpful that he can refer them to specialists if necessary.
According to the survey, almost all respondents, namely 98.3 percent, are convinced that the profession of family doctor is very important or rather important. For eight out of ten survey participants, a healthcare system without general practitioners is simply unimaginable.
Source: Nachrichten
