If you go to hospitals, you should usually come out healthier. Sometimes, however, the opposite may be the case: In Upper Austria’s hospitals, clinics and care facilities, there were 68 physical injuries in the previous year, one of which was fatal.
This emerges from a parliamentary question from the FPÖ, which Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) answered with an evaluation of the police crime statistics. The most common crimes were so-called actions against other people’s assets, i.e. theft, damage to property, robbery and fraud – 194 of these crimes were committed in 2023 reported (see graphic below). In total, this resulted in 340 crimes in the health facilities. A slight increase on the 326 offenses in 2022, but in 2020 there were already more at 346. How hospitals protect themselves The FPÖ also asked about the nationality of the suspects: around a quarter were given as “foreign”. For comparison: In the Upper Austrian The proportion of non-citizens in the total population is around 15 percent. In the hospitals of the health holding company – the largest hospital provider in the country, but of course not the only one affected by crime – the issue of verbal or even violent attacks is addressed has been going on for years, as it says in response to a “Krone” request. That means: There are ongoing de-escalation training courses, training courses for managers and information events for employees. Technical safety measures are also in use, such as the so-called distress alarm, which is installed in certain areas and can be activated by employees in the event of danger.
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