Financing options for the digitalization of the long-term care in Austria

1. Health Reform 2024-2028: Austria has introduced a health reform for 2024–2028, emphasizing the principle of "digital before outpatient before inpatient." This reform allocates 14 billion euros over five years to improve the health and care sectors, with 51 million euros annually for expanding digital health services. Planned measures include the expansion of the health hotline 1450, strengthening eHealth services like video consultations, and mandatory use of the electronic health record (ELGA) for all outpatient providers.
2. eHealth Strategy Austria: The Austrian eHealth strategy follows the idea that digitalization can contribute to preserving and restoring health in a broader sense when used properly. The goal is to define and further develop a shared vision for eHealth and digitalization in the health and care sectors in Austria. The strategic and operational goals of the strategy are accompanied by a series of overarching and procedural principles and supported by measures, which also include the development of funding programs and structures.

Examples of National Funding Programs

1. “Digital!Healthcare” Funding Call (Styria, starting 2023): The Health Fund Styria initiated a research and development call for quality-assured eHealth applications and process optimizations in patient care, with a total funding volume of up to 1.8 million euros. The goal is to develop concepts and pilot eHealth projects to implement first in Styria and then throughout Austria after successful completion.
2. Care Technology Fund (Upper Austria, starting 2024): This proactive initiative supports cooperation projects between social institutions, care facilities and research institutions aiming to develop and implement digital care and support technologies (with up to 300,000 euros for new solutions and 50,000 euros per project for acquiring existing ones). It enables care facilities to integrate innovations and new technologies into their financial planning.
3. Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG): FFG provides around 1 billion euros annually to support research and development initiatives focused on digitalization, technological innovation, and service improvement. It funds projects involving eHealth, assistive technologies and smart care systems and facilitates access to European funding. Support is open to organizations of all sizes but limited to research and development (i.e. not regular not regular LTC provision).
4. Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection: The Ministry offers funding for projects that improve the digital infrastructure in LTC. This includes telemedicine, electronic health records, and other digital tools that enable better care coordination.

Examples of Europe-wide Funding Programs

1. Programs such as Horizon Europe or Interreg support digitalization projects enabling cross-border collaborations and helping organizations modernize services and digital infrastructure.
2. European Social Fund (ESF) supports initiatives that promote social inclusion and improve employment opportunities. Projects that improve digital skills and infrastructure in LTC can be funded under this scheme.
3. The Digital Europe Programme focuses on building Europe's digital capacities, including the health and care sectors. It funds projects that integrate digital technologies into LTC services to improve accessibility and quality of care.