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HEALTH

Patient dies after ‘botched colonoscopy’

A doctor from the Waldviertel in Lower Austria is being investigated after an elderly patient died several days after a routine colonoscopy.

Published: 12 December 2014 11:28 CET
Patient dies after 'botched colonoscopy'
The hospital in Horn filed a complaint against the doctor. Photo: Leyrer-Graf

Maria Z. (74) was admitted to hospital in Horn with acute pain over the weekend, just two days after her checkup.

A surgeon found that her intestinal wall had been perforated – presumably during the colonoscopy – and despite their best efforts a team of doctors was unable to save her life.

She died as the result of internal bleeding. The hospital immediately filed a complaint about the doctor concerned. 

Family members described Maria Z. as “healthy and fun-loving”.

Franz Hütter, the prosecutor in Krems, is now examining the case. “We have ordered an autopsy and will determine whether there is a malpractice case against the doctor,” he told the Heute newspaper.

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HEALTH

What do you do in Austria if your nearest pharmacy is closed?

It's nine pm in Austria, and you're out of painkillers or decongestants. You're desperate for pain relief but your local Apotheke is shut, so what do you do?

Published: 12 December 2023 11:59 CET
What do you do in Austria if your nearest pharmacy is closed?

In Austria Apotheken (pharmacies) are the only places in which you can purchase painkillers and decongestants. Ostensibly in the public interest, but it’s also a lucrative moneymaker for the businesses. This monopoly on the sale of certain pharmaceutical drugs is a subject frequently debated and is of much consternation for overseas arrivals. 

READ MORE: Why are painkillers only sold in pharmacies in Austria?

However, many Apotheken can close as early as six pm, especially if you live outside a major city centre. If you’re suffering from a cold or a nasty headache, it can seem like an eternity until they reopen. 

Fortunately, there is relief. Emergency situations will always arise, and pharmacies often band together to provide service at nights, over weekends and on public holidays.

This is done on a rota basis, so your local Apotheke may not be open, there will be a Apotheken-Notdienst (Emergency-service pharmacy) within a 5 – 10km range. 

Often, Apotheken will have a sign or screen out the front that gives the address and opening times for Apotheken-Notdienst in the area, updated frequently.

A number of websites also exist that can give you the location of operating Apotheken-Notdienst across Austria, such as APO24.at. Entering your PLZ (or postcode) will list the nearest to you. 

However, if they don’t have online access, dialling 1455 while put you in touch with a service who can either direct you to the Apotheken-Notdienst on duty, or help you in getting you further assistance. 

If all else fails, your local hospital should have a Notfall-Praxis – ostensibly an emergency doctor service out of hours. If you’re prepared to wait, you will be able to see a doctor, and they can either dispense medication, or direct you to the hospital pharmacy with a prescription. 

Before you go, it’s worth brushing up on your vocabulary. The Local has developed a list of vocabulary and phrases that you can use to describe your symptoms to pharmacists and doctors, to help them prescribe the best possible medication.

READ MORE: Colds and flu: What to say if you get sick in Austria

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