Public health service

Beside hospitals and non-hospital service providers, the Public Health Service (ÖGD) is the third pillar of the Austrian health care system. It is based on the Public Health Act of 1872, which is still in force and regulates the main tasks in the field of sanitary supervision and epidemic control; it also defines standards for public health officers and directors.

Since 1978 ÖBIG has dealt with the tasks and the training of public health officers and other health care professions in the ÖGD. In addition, ÖBIG provides support and consultancy or reorganisation projects in the ÖGD.

Currently GÖG/ÖBIG assists a reorientation process of the ÖGD. Together with the steering group, which consists of representatives of the Provincial Public Health Directorate and the Ministry of Health, challenges for the ÖGD and objectives of the ÖGD reform and work packages were defined. The first of these work packages, the ÖGD Manual, was compiled in cooperation with a working group. Based on this manual, a training scheme for physicians in the ÖGD will be developed in 2009.

Contact: Gabriele Sax