Stefan Schaller has taken over as Professor of Anaesthesia and Anaesthesiological Intensive Care Medicine (§98) at MedUni Vienna with effect from 1 September 2024. At the same time, he took over as Chair of the Clinical Division of General Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at the Department of Anaesthesia, General Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine of MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna.
At the centre of Stefan Schaller’s work is the vision of evidence-based, excellent patient care, which is accompanied and further developed by continuous research. The application of the latest scientific findings in everyday clinical practice should ensure that patients receive the best possible care and that students benefit from the latest findings.
Emerging fields
Together with the surgical partners, one of Schaller’s priorities will be to further develop the concept of prevention in the perioperative area by optimally preparing patients to achieve the best possible postoperative outcome. This includes reviewing the quality of care using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in the clinical setting. An interdisciplinary and interprofessional Post Intensive Care Syndrome Outpatient Clinic is intended to provide adequate care for critically ill patients after intensive care treatment. "Digitalisation, including telemedicine, opens up new possibilities for patient care, which we can use to establish high-quality care concepts across the spectrum of the care landscape," explains Schaller, adding that precision medicine will also play a key role in perioperative and intensive care medicine through tailored treatment approaches.
Research focus
As part of these clinical emerging fields, Stefan Schaller is focussing scientifically on the topics of skeletal muscles, frailty and physical functionality. Prevention through prehabilitation, early mobilisation in intensive care units and phrenic nerve stimulation in ventilated patients are examples of ways to speed up recovery and minimise long-term consequences. Schaller hopes that this will significantly reduce the functional limitations that occur after critical illness.
Leadership and promoting young talent
A central concern of Stefan Schaller’s work is to fully utilise and promote the potential of employees. Through an open and supportive leadership culture, Stefan Schaller aims to create an environment in which every employee can thrive in the best possible way. The support and mentoring of young scientists is a matter close to his heart; targeted training and mentoring programmes aim to involve students in research at an early stage and support young colleagues.
About the person
Stefan Schaller studied human medicine at the Medical Faculty of the Karl-Franzens University of Graz/Medical University of Graz and graduated with a doctorate sub auspiciis presidentis rei publicae in 2007. He completed his specialist training at the Klinikum rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich, interrupted by a research fellowship at Harvard Medical School. In addition to a part-time Master’s degree (Master of Health and Business Administration (MHBA)), he habilitated in anaesthesiology and intensive care medicine at the Faculty of Medicine at the Technical University of Munich. In 2019, he was appointed as professor to Charité - Universitätsmedizin and served as Deputy Clinic Director of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (CCM/CVK). Stefan Schaller is involved in various professional societies, in particular the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), is editor of the journal Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) and collaborates scientifically worldwide.
