Lesson 8.3 · 4 min
§ 16 Duties, cover and confidentiality
Open in the coursewith narrated slides, a checklist to tick off and a quiz
At a glance
- Clear duties. Every member of staff has clearly defined duties and areas of responsibility, and the whole team knows them.
- Cover arranged. Deployment and cover during absences are arranged, matching each person's qualifications.
- Confidentiality. Everyone is informed, with proof, of their duty of confidentiality under § 54 of the Physicians Act.
In detail
Duties and responsibility
Staff have clearly defined duties and areas of responsibility, communicated to the whole team § 16(2). Some criteria expressly require an assigned responsibility, such as the written responsibility for maintaining the emergency equipment § 9(3) and responsibility for hygiene Hygiene-V § 1.
Deployment and cover
How staff are deployed and who covers during absences is arranged with their qualifications in mind § 16(3). In practice: for each task it's settled who takes it over during an absence, and that person is qualified for it.
Confidentiality
Staff are informed, with proof, of their duty of confidentiality under § 54 of the Physicians Act 1998 § 16(4). "With proof" means you can show that and when someone was informed, with a signed statement for example.
Anyone who assists with medical tasks or carries out delegated ones is also informed about patients' risks and potential complications § 17(4); more on that in lesson 9.1.
What works as proof
- a task list or organisation chart the team knows;
- a cover plan with qualifications;
- a signed, dated confidentiality notice for each person.
Checklist
- Duties and areas of responsibility are in writing and known to the team.
- There is a cover rule for absences, matching qualifications.
- For every member of staff, the confidentiality notice is on record, new staff included.
Quiz
What must staff be informed about, with proof, under § 16(4)?
- The average waiting times
- The fee schedule
- The results of the self-evaluation
- Their duty of confidentiality under § 54 of the Physicians Act 1998
Show the answer
The answer is D: Their duty of confidentiality under § 54 of the Physicians Act 1998. § 16(4): with proof, about the duty of confidentiality under § 54 of the Physicians Act 1998.
Sources
This lesson's statements rest on:
Not legal advice. What counts is the text of the QS-VO 2024 in the Federal Legal Information System (version of 3 October 2026) and the Austrian Medical Chamber's Hygiene Regulation 2014. Not an offer of ÖQMED, the BIQG or the Medical Chamber.