Number of Doctors in Austria Increased Significantly

The number of practicing doctors has risen sharply in recent years, both in absolute terms and in relation to the population. According to Statistics Austria, there were around 44,000 doctors working in Austria in 2015 - corresponding to a ratio of 506 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants. By 2025, there were already around 52,000 doctors, resulting in 565 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants, according to figures released on Tuesday.

Fewer General Practitioners, More Specialists

The development is not the same across all groups of doctors: For example, the number of general practitioners decreased during the comparison period from around 14,300 to 13,000, or from 164 per 100,000 inhabitants to 141. In contrast, the number of specialists increased from around 23,400 in 2015 to 29,400 - in relation to population growth, this means an increase from 269 specialists per 100,000 inhabitants to 320.

The number of doctors in training also increased significantly from 6,300 (73 per 100,000 inhabitants) to 9,600 (105 per 100,000 inhabitants). The number of dentists also rose - from around 4,900 to 5,500, but in relation to the population, the increase was rather small (from 56 per 100,000 inhabitants to just under 60).

Non-Medical Health Personnel Surpassed the 100,000 Mark

The number of health personnel in the non-medical sector also increased - from just under 91,000 in 2015 to around 101,500 in 2024. This growth spans all areas: In the higher services for health and nursing care (e.g., certified health and nursing staff), the number of personnel rose from around 58,700 to 62,300. Among paramedics, nursing assistants, and medical assistants, there was an increase from 15,500 to 19,500, and in the higher medical-technical services (e.g., physiotherapy and speech therapy), medical-technical specialist services, and masseurs, there was an increase from 15,300 to 17,900.

In contrast, the number of actual beds available in hospitals decreased - from 65,100 in 2015 to 60,100 in 2024. Before that, there had been an increase since the early 2000s. For comparison: in 2000, there were still 63,700 beds. Looking further back, however, there is a significant reduction in beds: in 1985, there were still around 75,200.

Since 2015, the decline has been evident across all types of hospitals: Fewer beds were recorded in both general hospitals and special hospitals, convalescent homes, as well as sanatoriums or nursing homes for the chronically ill. The number of respective institutions themselves is also declining.

(APA/Red)

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