Project Lead: Daniel Fabian
Authors: Daniel Fabian, Diana Szivakova
Duration: Q1 to Q4 2026
Language: English (with German summary)
Following a reform of hospital funding in Austria in 2025, inpatient stays of up to two days have been reimbursed to hospitals immediately. As a result, interest in care models that enable earlier discharge without compromising the quality of care has increased. Internationally, such rapid recovery programmes have already proven successful, whereas standardised and widely implemented approaches are still lacking in Austria.
The AIHTA was commissioned to analyse how evidence-based rapid recovery concepts, based on the guidelines of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society, can be implemented within the Austrian healthcare system. Following consultation with clinical experts, total hip and knee replacement procedures were identified as particularly relevant areas of application. The aim is to evaluate interventions across the entire care pathway before, during and after surgery and to develop recommendations for Austrian hospitals.