Interview with Dr Josef F. Macher, President of the Austrian Federation of Private Hospitals
What was the reason for the visit to Brussels at the beginning of March 2025?
The reason for the delegation trip with meetings with MEP Lukas Mandl, Attache Vinzent Rest and UEHP Managing Director Ilaria Giannico was to represent the interests of our member clinics. We want to draw attention to important issues that affect healthcare in Europe and the role of private clinics in this.
What specific topics did you address?
We have held discussions, particularly with regard to financing, deregulation, specialised staff and innovation, and have had a constructive exchange about the concerns of private clinics and, on the other hand, the opportunities at EU level. Our dialogue partners showed interest in our proposals and the challenges we are facing.
What further steps are planned?
We will continue to engage in active dialogue and introduce our proposals into the political agenda at national level. I would like to emphasise how important it is for private hospitals to actively participate in political processes as healthcare providers, as this is the only way to ensure that the systemically relevant role of private hospitals in healthcare systems is recognised and appreciated for the benefit of all.
