State of Salzburg secures hospital in Oberndorf: future secured!

State of Salzburg secures hospital in Oberndorf: future secured!

For a long time there was uncertainty and concern about the future of the hospital in Oberndorf. But now there is good news: The state of Salzburg has reached an agreement with the private healthcare provider VAMED, which guarantees long-term security of the hospital location. The talks, which began in the summer of 2024, came to an end thanks to the state taking over the hospital at the beginning of 2026. This reports Regionews.

The responsible state health councilor Daniela Gutschi (ÖVP) emphasizes how important this agreement is for the patients and the hospital's employees. “The new health holding company will provide the reliability that our health system needs,” said Gutschi. With this step, the state of Salzburg hopes to sustainably secure regional health care, from which the numerous jobs in Oberndorf will also benefit. The municipality of Oberndorf was decisive for the legal basis of the resolution in question, without which the takeover would not have been possible meinkreis.at.

Background to the takeover

Negotiations to take over the hospital dragged on for more than a year, largely due to financial and liability issues. VAMED announced last year that it would withdraw from the hospital, which required action. An annual loss of around 12 million euros has so far had to be borne by the state of Salzburg and VAMED. This makes the protection that is now to be provided by the new state holding company all the more important.

From 2026, the municipality of Oberndorf will also have to pay into the SAGES health fund in order to further support regional health care. The state of Salzburg pursues the goal of making health care in the state stable and accessible to all citizens.

The role of VAMED

VAMED played a constructive role during the negotiations in order to find a solution that was acceptable for everyone involved. “It was a good deal for everyone, because health care in northern Flachgau remains guaranteed,” said Gutschi. In recent years, the state of Salzburg has already taken over several community hospitals, and the uniform, transparent rules that were applied will also apply to Oberndorf.

Hospitals are at the center of health policy, not only in Austria but also internationally. This acquisition comes at a time when healthcare spending is steadily increasing in many European countries - due to demographic change and medical progress. This shows how important areas of health policy are in order to ensure sustainable care bpb.de.

Overall, it shows that the initiative by the state of Salzburg not only secures the location in Oberndorf, but also represents an important step towards strengthening regional health care. The agreement is a positive development that will strengthen the population's trust in local medical care.