Young doctors boost use of e-medical records

These paper medical records may be a thing of the past in Switzerland if the trend toward electronic records continues. © Keystone / Christian Beutler

Half of all physicians in Switzerland practice in medical offices where records are entirely electronic, according to the latest statistics. Doctors under the age of 45 are the most likely to work in such practices.

According to the most recent surveyExternal link of medical practices and outpatient centers released by the Federal Statistical Office on Thursday, electronic medical records are the rule for 41% of practices and just over half of all physicians in the country. Some 31% of practices manage files partially electronically while 28% used only paper records.

The stats from 2017 also show a generational divide on the use of e-records, with three-quarters of physicians under 45 using them compared to 38% of over 55-year-olds.

Some 75% of people in Switzerland live within one kilometer of the nearest medical practice, the survey also found. However, people in urban areas are much more likely to live close to a clinic than people in rural areas (88% versus 35%).

Most practices (88%) are sole proprietorships owned by an independent doctor, of which 28% are group practices where physicians pool funds to share use of space. Some 70% of physicians are self-employed and most work in primary care (40%), followed by psychiatry (15%) and specialized medicine (12%).

In 2017, Switzerland had 17,560 medical offices and outpatient centers and more than 20,000 active physicians up from 17,600 in 2015. Primary care is the domain of nearly one in two physicians aged 35 to 44 years.