Palliative care: from pioneering work to a permanent fixture
The history of palliative care at the Ordensklinikum Linz goes back to the late 1990s and impressively demonstrates how hospice and palliative care has developed. In 2000, the "St Louise" palliative care unit opened at the Sisters of Mercy site, celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025. Five years later, in 2005, the palliative care unit at the Elisabethinen Hospital opened its doors and is therefore celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025. Today, these two facilities stand for human care, medical expertise and comprehensive care in a challenging phase of life.
Today, a total of 27 palliative care beds are available in Linz, 18 of which are at the Ordensklinikum Linz alone. Over the years, the range of services has steadily expanded: In addition to inpatient care, the teams also care for patients via the palliative consultation service as well as on an outpatient basis and are closely networked with the St Barbara Hospice.
New perspectives in care
Palliative care means much more than medical care. It emphasises quality of life, dignity and holistic support. Care not only includes medical measures, but also nursing, psychology, social work, pastoral care and creative programmes such as music therapy. This multi-professional approach enables individualised and versatile support that goes far beyond traditional medical care.
Another milestone is the digitalisation of palliative care: since 2023, the Ordensklinikum has been offering video consultations that enable patients to receive brief updates and check-ups without having to travel, which is a huge advantage, especially for people with weakened health. The establishment of the first palliative outpatient clinic in Upper Austria at the Sisters of Mercy site in 2022 will further expand the spectrum and make palliative services available even closer to home.
The anniversaries make it clear how important and effective palliative care is today, not only as a medical discipline, but also as an attitude that focuses on quality of life until the end #schongenial.
