Healthcare in Austria

Expats in Austria have access to good hospitals, doctors and other medical professionals. If you applying for residency in Austria, you will need to present proof of health insurance. This article covers hospitals, English-speaking doctors, prescription medications, medical conditions. Additionally, expats talk about what it's like having a baby in Austria.

In Case of Emergency

In an emergency, the ambulance service can be reached in Austria calling 144. The Europe wide emergency number is 112. The emergency doctor service (nights and weekends) is 141.

Bringing Prescription Medications into Austria

"The Austrian Medicine Import Act generally prohibits the import of prescription drugs into Austria, however, non- European Union residents are allowed medicines as part of their personal luggage, but only the quantity required during the course of the stay. Travelers may not receive medicine by mail while staying in Austria," wrote the US State Department. "If the medication is available in Austria or in the EU, the patient simply visits a pharmacy (with an Austrian physician prescription) and buys the needed medication. If a certain medication is not available in Austria, the patient needs to see an Austrian physician and have a prescription issued stipulating that a certain medication is not available. An Austrian pharmacy, such as the International Pharmacy in Vienna, will order the prescribed medication from the U.S. if necessary," further explained the US Embassy in Austria.

Cost of Prescription Medicine in Austria

"The pharmacies are virtually on every other block, and my Dr. is across the street from me. I go to the the doctor every other month to get my prescriptions filled (15 medications) and the co-payments are always under 5 Euro. Most medications have to go through the doctor. The overall experience is good and I have no complaints," explained one expat living in Vienna.

Cost of Private Doctors in Austria

Private medical practitioners in Austria establish their own fees. Furthermore, they will not settle fee claims directly with U.S. insurance companies. Therefore, the U.S. citizen patient will be expected to pay his bill at the time of treatment/consultation. The patient may thereafter present his paid bill to his U.S. insurance carrier, if any, for reimbursement," wrote the US Embassy.

Giving Birth in Austria

"In Austria the system is slightly different. I was able to use my normal Gynocologist throughout my pregnancy, but he did not deliver my son. Here you go to your normal Gynocologist until you are 38 weeks pregnant and then you have your appointments at the hospital. Once you go into labor whoever is on duty (hospital staff midwives and doctors) will deliver your baby. This was a little strange for me, however the staff was very friendly and I did get to know them from appointments I had at the hospital prior to giving birth. Additionally I did have a midwife that came to my house after leaving the hospital. I chose her based on an online database and interviews while pregnant. This is a free service in Austria, and it was amazing! She came to our house a few times after the birth to weigh him, check on my recovering, examined our nursery set up and showed us best practices, showed us how to properly use a wrap, etc," wrote one expat in a report about having a baby in Austria.

Health conditions in Austria

Public Health Conditions in Austria are excellent. The level of community sanitation in Vienna and other cities in Austria meets or exceeds that of most large U.S. cities. Disease incidence and type are similar to that seen in the major cities of Western Europe and the United States. At the present time, air pollution is not a major health problem in Vienna. Water in Austria is pure and safe to drink. All milk sold in Austria is pasteurized.

Tick Borne Encephalitis (ETB)

In certain parts of Austria and Central Europe, there is a danger of contracting encephalitis from viruses carried by several common tick species. While not all ticks carry the TBE virus, those that do are frequently found in wooded, low lying areas, such as the Wiener Wald. An excellent vaccine against TBE has been developed in Austria and is highly effective. It is strongly recommended for all persons who live in and around Vienna and expect to enjoy outdoor activities, such as walking and jogging, in infested areas.

Dentists in Austria

If you need a dentist, here's a list of English-speaking dentists in Vienna.