How the 2026 evaluation in Vienna works

In detail

Who is evaluated

The QS-VO 2024 applies to all doctors in private practice and all group practices in Austria § 1(3). Every practice and every site of a group practice is evaluated § 30(1). In a group practice, one partner fills in the questionnaire for the whole group practice; the group practice decides who § 28.

When Vienna's turn comes

The evaluation runs in waves by federal state. Every practice is invited to self-evaluate about every five years.

* The catch-up wave covers practices and group practices opened in the meantime anywhere in Austria. Source: health quality portal.

The procedure, step by step

1. Invitation and self-evaluation. ÖQMED sends you the specialty questionnaire; you sign in through the Medical Chamber's single sign-on. You have four weeks from receiving your personal password, or from the day a paper questionnaire you asked for is sent § 30(3)–(4).
2. Plausibility check. ÖQMED checks your answers within six weeks and asks follow-up questions if needed. If a deficiency shows, a remediation order follows § 31.
3. Sample. The BIQG draws at least 100 of every 1,000 practices and group practices with randomising software § 32(2). Those drawn get a letter; the visit should take place within six weeks § 33(1), (3).
4. On-site visit. You must be present, or at least one partner of a group practice. The peers see all rooms and the records for §§ 4–14 and 16–24. For § 17 you prepare two complete, anonymised patient files § 33(5)–(7).
5. Remediation and certificate. Deficiencies found on a visit come with the BIQG's own order § 35. The procedure ends with the quality certificate once your continuing education is met and no deficiency is left open § 41.

What is checked, and what isn't

• The QS-VO describes 23 quality criteria in §§ 4 to 26. The questionnaire covers §§ 4–14 and 16–26 § 27(2).
• Your continuing medical education (§ 15) is checked by the Akademie der Ärzte, which reports the result to ÖQMED automatically § 27(3).
• The quality-management aspects of § 26 are voluntary: they never count as a deficiency § 31(2).
• Missing specialty equipment for services you offer (equipment lists, Annex 1) is a deficiency § 31(2).

If you can't make a deadline

Tell ÖQMED, ideally before the deadline passes. For an unjustified delay, ÖQMED sets a second deadline and announces a practice visit if it is missed again § 30(6).

How long these rules apply

The QS-VO 2024 applies retroactively from 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2027 § 48(1). The certificate is limited to that period § 43(1). A new regulation follows.