Gmünd (Healthacross)

The Lower Austrian Health Agency is an umbrella organization that encompasses several hospitals and institutions responsible for elderly care. In order to improve access to health services for people living in the border region, it launched the Healthacross initiative in 2007, which provides a framework for the implementation of relevant projects. Projects implemented to date include:

• cooperation between hospitals in Melk (AT) and Znojmo (CZ) in the field of endometriosis treatment;
• a bilateral agreement between Lower Austria and the Czech Republic on the coordination of emergency care;
• cooperation has been established between the hospital in Hainburg (AT) and the National Institute for Children’s Diseases in Bratislava in the field of neonatal care;
• a partnership has been formed between the hospitals in Bécsújhely and Sopron in the field of digital pathology;
• the first cross-border health center was built in Gmünd (AT), providing care for patients from the Austrian side of the border (Gmünd and the surrounding area) and the Czech side (České Velenice and the surrounding area).

This cross-border healthcare facility was established during the 2014-2020 Interreg program period as part of the “Healtacross for future” project. The current development builds on the results of two previous projects, which have led to greater attention being paid to outpatient care for Czech patients in Gmünd and the free movement of ambulances in the border area. Based on the procedure developed, Czech patients must first visit their family doctor for a diagnosis, and then the family doctors contact the hospital on the Austrian side. The Austrian hospital employs a staff member (with Czech language skills) who is responsible for communication.

The need for the new facility was justified by the limited number of healthcare services available in the border region, as the nearest ambulance station on the Czech side is 30 km away and the nearest hospital is 60 km away. The construction was financed by Austrian national funds under the management of the city of Gmünd. The facility was handed over on October 16, 2021, and since then, approximately 5,500 Austrian and 1,000 Czech patients have visited the facility each month.