If it hurts, first:

The 1450 health advice hotline is a guide to the Austrian health care system. 1450 tells callers where to get the right treatment for their health problems or whether they can treat them on their own.

Surely you know the feeling: Your tooth starts throbbing in the middle of the night, your child develops a high fever at the weekend, or a skin rash appears out of nowhere. This gives rise to all kinds of questions: What should I do? Can I treat the pain myself? Should I go to a general practitioner or a specialist? Should I head straight to the hospital? The answer: Call 1450 first, whenever you have a health question!

You get a quick initial medical assessment of your situation, thus saving you unnecessary waiting time (e.g. at the hospital). In case of an emergency, 1450 will help you immediately and initiate the rescue chain.

First, general information is established, such as your name and location. This is especially important in case your current health condition suddenly worsens.

You describe your health problem. 1450 then asks you targeted questions in order to narrow down the problem. At the end of the conversation, you will either be told how you can help yourself or which health care facility can best provide you with the care you need.

No, the 1450 health advice hotline is not a substitute for treatment by a physician and does not provide a diagnosis. It is a guide to the health care system and the first point of contact in case of acute symptoms (i.e. problems that appear suddenly). The advantage of 1450 is that if you do not have to go to the doctor, you save yourself unnecessary waiting and travel times. In an emergency, you receive rapid assistance!

No, but you can get information about where the nearest pharmacy is located or which one is currently open.

In medical emergencies, e.g. if someone

• has had a severe accident,
• is having acute difficulty breathing,
• is unconscious,
• or is in some other life-threatening situation,

immediately call the emergency number 144!

Yes, you can call from any network in Austria without dialling a prefix.

No, you can call from any network* without dialling a prefix. We provide quick and easy assistance – anywhere in Austria, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If calling from abroad or with a foreign SIM card, you must dial the Austrian country code 0043 and the area code for the relevant provincial capital before the number. If you do not know the prefix for the provincial capital or if in doubt, dial 0043 1 1450.

No, the health advice is completely free. At most, you pay the local rate charged by your telephone provider.

No, the service can only be contacted by telephone at this time.

A medically trained and certified health care and nursing professional located in Austria provides you with advice over the phone.

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do in case of acute health problems. You wonder whether you should go to the hospital, where the nearest pharmacy is located, or need medical advice in the middle of the night. Health problems don’t just occur during business hours. Especially when children or elderly people are involved, symptoms that appear suddenly make you worried, and you need assistance quickly. This is why health advice has been available by phone throughout Austria on the 1450 hotline since November 2019 – 24 hours a day.