When the clocks change, emergency visits rise

Swiss hospitals are not overloaded due to the increase in emergency visits. Keystone/Gaetan Bally

The time change is clearly noticeable in Swiss hospitals. On the day after the switch to winter time, 3.5% more patients are admitted to emergency departments than usual – and 6.5% more after the change to summer time.

These are the findings of an analysis by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) covering the years 2011 to 2023.

According to the FSO, the fluctuations are not large enough for hospitals to take specific measures. Nevertheless, the increase in emergency admissions suggests that the human body does react to the time change.

People under 65 are slightly more affected than older patients. After the switch to summer time, more people are admitted with circulatory and respiratory diseases, the FSO notes.

By contrast, the number of patients admitted following accidents tends to fall. After the change to winter time, the FSO also observed a decline in accident-related emergency admissions.

Shifting peaks

There is also a slight shift in the timing of emergency visits: the daily peak occurs earlier when clocks go back than forward.

On average, around 1,700 people in Switzerland are admitted to hospital as emergencies each day. Admissions are more frequent in winter and less common in spring. On working days – particularly Mondays – about 20% more people are admitted than on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays.

Translated from German using DeepL/amva/ts