Medical versus bio-psycho-social model: possible reasons why the ICF is hardly used in Austria from an occupational therapy perspective

Abstract

The aim of this article is to explore possible reasons why the ICF is hardly used in clinical practice in Austria from my perspective as a researcher and an occupational therapist. The article discusses the insurance based health care system in Austria which focuses mainly on diseases, the predominant use of the medical model, the professional and educational status of health professions including occupational therapy as well as the notion of tradition in the Austrian culture. To successfully implement the ICF in Austria may require a paradigm shift from the traditional medically-focused health care to a holistic perspective of functioning in daily life of patients.