The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

Study finds Swiss hospital doctors earn huge salaries

operating room
How much should a hospital doctor earn? © KEYSTONE / GAETAN BALLY

Chief physicians at Swiss hospitals earn up to CHF2.5 million ($2.7 million) per year, a study has found. 

Most earn between CHF350,000 and CHF1.5 million, according to a salary specialist who looked into the matter for Swiss public televisionExternal link. Urs Klinger has been researching the topic for five years. His figures are based on data from 174 Swiss hospitals.

+ How do health costs in Switzerland compare with those in the US?

“One in four head or attending doctors (not employed by the hospital but able to use the facilities when treating own patients) earns more than CHF1.5 million. It can be as much as CHF2.5 million,” Klinger told the “Rundschau” current affairs programme on Wednesday. He pointed out that a doctor typically earns a percentage of the hospital’s income. 

“Every operation increases his salary,” said Klinger, adding that private patients could be billed separately. Critics point out that this encourages unnecessary treatments – which is a burden on the healthcare system and increases insurance premiums. 

Home Affairs Minister Alain Berset is calling for more transparency on the subject of doctors’ salaries. Last year he commissioned a report on how healthcare costs could be reduced. 

The Swiss association of head hospital physicians declined to comment to Rundschau.

More


Popular Stories

News

Valais parliament authorises rapid aid for Blatten

More

Glaciers & permafrost

Emergency financial aid authorised for Swiss village buried by landslide

This content was published on The Valais Grand Council gives the green light for a solidarity contribution of CHF 10 million for the village of Blatten, which was destroyed by the landslide. The aid is to benefit the population, companies and associations.

Read more: Emergency financial aid authorised for Swiss village buried by landslide
Despite US tariff hammer: Swiss SME sentiment remains stable

More

Global trade

Swiss SME sentiment remains stable despite steep US tariffs

This content was published on Despite the high US tariffs, the mood among Swiss SMEs has hardly deteriorated. However, two thirds of export-oriented companies have now adjusted their export strategy, with one in ten even questioning it as a whole.

Read more: Swiss SME sentiment remains stable despite steep US tariffs

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR