The Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) and employees of the Vamed Group are rallying against the proposed sale of Vamed’s rehabilitation clinics to the French private equity firm PAI Partners. Concerns have been raised that the sale could lead to increased workloads for staff, higher costs for taxpayers, and a potential decline in the quality of healthcare services.
During a public meeting held in front of the Anton Proksch Institute in Vienna on Tuesday, ÖGK Chairman Andreas Huss expressed his opposition to the sale, emphasizing the need for a nonprofit solution that keeps these healthcare facilities in Austrian hands. Huss warned that PAI, which lacks a strong background in healthcare, is likely to sell the clinics for profit after a few years, which could only be achieved by either placing additional pressure on employees or reducing the quality of care.
“The biggest danger is that unnecessary, more expensive services could be introduced, as we have seen in PAI’s investments in nursing homes in Germany,” said Huss. “This would mean that Austrian taxpayers are effectively financing profits for foreign investors.”
Huss suggested that facilities with unique roles, such as the Anton Proksch Institute for addiction treatment and the children’s rehabilitation center in St. Veit im Pongau, should be managed by the federal states, social insurance funds, or nonprofit organizations.
Vamed employees have expressed significant concern about the proposed sale. Harald Steer, chairman of the Vamed works council, reported that the workforce is worried about potential job cuts and increased pressure. He called for written guarantees to protect employees if the sale goes through, ensuring that cost-cutting measures do not lead to staff reductions or a decrease in care quality.
Vamed’s management has responded to the protests, stating that the nonprofit status of the Anton Proksch Institute will remain unchanged despite the sale. Klaus Schuster, a board member of Vamed, emphasized that PAI has been recognized as a “partner with a positive track record in healthcare” and that the deal has already received approval from the European Commission.
The Vamed Group, a major healthcare provider in Austria, was recently split up by its majority owner, Fresenius. Under this restructuring, PAI is set to acquire 67 percent of Vamed’s rehabilitation business, while Fresenius will retain the remaining 33 percent. The transaction includes 67 facilities across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom, involving around 9,500 employees. In Austria, 21 facilities and 3,500 employees are part of the sale, including the Anton Proksch Institute, which is jointly owned by Vamed (60 percent) and a foundation (40 percent).
As the sale proceeds, concerns continue to mount over the potential impact on both the employees and the quality of patient care.
