Longer healthy lives for the Viennese

133 experts in numerous disciplines have developed nine goals for Vienna’s healthcare sector, the aim being for people in the city to live one and a half years longer, on average, in a healthy state by 2025.

Nine goals for the healthcare sector

Vienna has defined nine concrete goals for the healthcare sector for the period up to 2025. These have been adjusted to needs in three main sectors: children, young people and pregnant women; employment and occupation; and older people. As a concrete measure, optimal healthcare services are to be provided in particular for children and young people. As far as dentistry is concerned, for example, more than half of all six-year-olds should become free of caries. In general, kids are to be encouraged to exercise a lot more and have a healthy diet. Schools are to reduce the availability of soft drinks and offer more water.

Another goal is to reduce the Caesarean section rate among pregnant women from 30 to 25 per cent. With a view to achieving the overall goal of improving the health of the population, it is necessary to further develop the system of integrated healthcare with so-called "primary health care" centres (providing basic multi-medical services), reducing the burden on outpatient hospital departments. Psycho-social services are to become available for all age groups.

Particular emphasis is placed on the fact that biological, social and gender-specific groups and their specific life situations and risks are to be addressed and taken into account. Specific services catering for the needs of the elderly are guaranteed, helping them to live independently to a very old age. Special attention is also to be paid to socially disadvantaged groups. The City of Vienna considers it vital to provide in particular educationally disadvantaged and low-income people with the necessary information and access to its healthcare services.

Vienna’s Healthcare Goals for 2025

1. Improving equal health prospects for children and young people
2. Promoting health measures in the workplace
3. Promoting and ensuring independence and a high quality of life for the very old
4. Establishing integrated healthcare services
5. Increasing health literacy among the Viennese population
6. Optimising the prevention, early recognition and treatment procedures of epidemiologically relevant diseases in a targeted way
7. Strengthening the psycho-social health of Vienna’s population
8. Making the city as a living space more attractive, minimising negative environmental effects and supporting physical exercise
9. Establishing a health monitoring system