Austria uses standard German medical terminology with a few Austria-specific institutional terms. The most important concepts to understand are the two-tier insurance system (Kassen vs. Wahlarzt) and the e-card.
The Health System
| Purpose | German Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Austria's main public health insurance body | ÖGK (Österreichische Gesundheitskasse) | Covering the majority of employed and registered residents. Formerly split by profession into multiple Krankenkassen; merged into ÖGK in 2020. Your ÖGK membership is accessed via your e-card. |
| The electronic insurance card | e-card | Your proof of ÖGK coverage. Presented at every Kassenarzt visit and hospital admission. Without it (or a temporary substitute), you may be billed as a private patient. Keep it on you. |
| A "public" doctor who has contracted with ÖGK | Kassenarzt | Consultations are free at point of use (your insurance covers it). The trade-off: longer waits, and some Kassenärzte are less experienced with LGBTQ+ sexual health or more conservative in their approach. |
| A private doctor with no ÖGK contract | Wahlarzt | You pay the full consultation fee upfront (typically €80–200 for a specialist), then submit a claim to ÖGK, which reimburses approximately 80% of the equivalent Kassenarzt rate. Many of Vienna's most LGBTQ+-affirming and PrEP-experienced doctors practice as Wahlarzt. |
| The prescription fee | Rezeptgebühr | A small co-payment (currently around €7 per prescription item) charged when filling a Kassenarzt prescription at a pharmacy. Waived for people with low income. For Wahlarzt prescriptions, you pay full pharmacy price. |
| The old paper insurance voucher (historical) | Krankenschein | Replaced by the e-card system. You may occasionally hear older patients or doctors reference it, but it is no longer in use. |
Key Institutions
| Purpose | German Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Austria's leading community HIV and sexual health organisation | Aids Hilfe Wien | Based in Vienna. Operates the most LGBTQ+-affirming sexual health service in the country. aids.at |
| Vienna's main university hospital | AKH (Allgemeines Krankenhaus Wien) | The primary destination for PEP, complex STI treatment, and HIV specialist care. The relevant department is the Klinische Abteilung für Infektionen und Tropenmedizin (Infectious Disease outpatient). |
| State hospital | Landeskrankenhaus (LKH) | The main public hospital in each Austrian state capital. Equivalent to the AKH for PEP and specialist care outside Vienna. |
| Infectious Disease outpatient clinic | Infektionsambulanz | The department to ask for at a university or state hospital when you need PrEP prescription follow-up or PEP continuation. |
| Emergency department | Notaufnahme / Notfallambulanz | Notaufnahme (emergency reception) and Notfallambulanz (emergency outpatient) are used interchangeably across different hospitals. |
| Vienna's main LGBTQ+ advocacy and community organisation | HOSI Wien | Homosexuelle Initiative Wien. hosi.at |
Key Phrases
Testing
| Purpose | German Term |
|---|---|
| Full STI screen | "Ich möchte eine vollständige Geschlechtskrankheiten-Untersuchung." |
| Three-site swabs | "Ich brauche auch einen Rachen- und Analabstrich." |
| Anonymous testing | "Ich möchte anonym getestet werden." |
| PrEP monitoring | "Ich bin auf PrEP und brauche meine Dreimonatskontrolle." |
PrEP
| Purpose | German Term |
|---|---|
| Requesting PrEP | "Ich möchte PrEP verschrieben bekommen." |
| On-demand protocol | "Kann ich das Bedarfsschema (2-1-1) nutzen?" |
PEP Emergency
| Purpose | German Term |
|---|---|
| At A&E triage | "Ich hatte vor [X] Stunden einen HIV-Risikokontakt und brauche PEP." |
| Partner status | "Mein Partner war HIV-positiv / unbekannter Status." |
Insurance and Doctors
| Purpose | German Term |
|---|---|
| "I want a private doctor" | "Ich suche einen Wahlarzt." |
| "I have public insurance" | "Ich bin bei der ÖGK versichert." |
| "Can I pay and reclaim?" | "Kann ich als Privatpatient bezahlen und dann bei der ÖGK einreichen?" |
General
| Purpose | German Term |
|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | "Sprechen Sie Englisch?" |
| I have an EHIC card | "Ich habe eine Europäische Krankenversicherungskarte (EHIC)." |
| I need help | "Ich brauche Hilfe!" |
| Call an ambulance | "Rufen Sie den Notruf 144!" |
Emergency Numbers
| Number | Service |
|---|---|
| 112 | Pan-European emergency (ambulance, fire, police) |
| 144 | Austrian ambulance direct |
| 142 | Telefonseelsorge — 24/7 crisis and emotional support line |
| 141 | Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst — out-of-hours GP service |
Quick Reference
| Purpose | German Term |
|---|---|
| Public health insurance body | ÖGK |
| Electronic insurance card | e-card |
| Public insurance doctor (free) | Kassenarzt |
| Private doctor (pay upfront, ~80% reimbursed) | Wahlarzt |
| Prescription co-payment (~€7) | Rezeptgebühr |
| Vienna General Hospital (university) | AKH |
| State hospital (regional capitals) | LKH |
| Infectious disease outpatient | Infektionsambulanz |
| Emergency reception | Notaufnahme |
| Prä-Expositions-Prophylaxe | PrEP |
| Post-Expositions-Prophylaxe | PEP |
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