Bregenz hospital eases strain with new initial care unit
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Doctors at the LKH Bregenz hospital in Austria began treating patients in a new initial care unit in October 2024, aiming to relieve pressure on specialist departments.
From October 2024 to March 2026, the unit treated 10,151 patients who came to the hospital without appointments. Doctors assessed each person to determine if they needed immediate specialist care, providing direct treatment for less urgent cases within the initial care unit itself.
Approximately half of the patients received complete care and were discharged, while 13 percent were referred to general practitioners or specialists for ongoing treatment. Nearly 3,800 people received further care inside the hospital. The Krankenhausbetriebsgesellschaft (KHBG) funds the initial care unit with 380,000 euros annually, and plans to expand the service to Feldkirch. However, the KHBG currently struggles to consistently fill a planned third doctor position due to challenges in recruiting general practitioners.
