Vienna about to reorganise its hospital landscape
Vienna is facing comprehensive restructuring of its hospital landscape in order to accommodate the demographic changes in the Austrian capital city. Currently, in northern Vienna approximately three beds are available per 1,000 inhabitants, in western Vienna there are nine. It is planned to provide six beds per 1,000 inhabitants in Vienna by 2012/2013.
Heart of the Vienna hospital concept is the new Krankenhaus Nord which will be built on the left bank of the Danube where the city records highest growth rates. Rumour has it that the new 850-bed hospital, scheduled to open in 2011, comes with a price tag of 450 to 500 mio EUR. Krankenhaus Nord, which will be realised in a public-private partnership (PPP), will trigger a redistribution of beds that will lead to the desired balanced regional supply. Three current hospitals will be closed or moved and integrated into other facilities. Moreover, the currently 9,000 acute care beds of the Vienna Hospital Association (Wiener Krankenanstaltenverbundes - KAV) will be reduced by 300 beds.
Beyond the redistribution of beds the concept entails a more focussed clinical specialisation; the new Krankenhaus Wien Nord for example will encompass the following departments:
Anesthesia, admission/emergency care, surgery (general surgery),
Ob/Gyn, cardiac surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, psychiatry, pulmology, thoracic surgery, trauma surgery, institute for lab diagnostics, pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation as well as
radiology.
Public tender procedure
In an EU-wide tender procedure for Krankenhaus Nord a suitable partner is being sought who can offer adequate property, has the required expertise in hospital construction and can provide a sound financing concept. Wiener Krankenanstaltenverbund will retain clinical competencies.
The offers are currently being reviewed by a commission of national and international experts. Selections will be based on a set of criteria. Negotiations are now in phase 2. In March 2008 a decision regarding the site is expected. Later on, an architectural design competition will be initiated.This article was published on 02/20/2008