Concern at Swiss dependence on older and foreign doctors
One in four doctors practising in Switzerland is aged 60 or over, and almost four out of ten come from abroad, says the Swiss Medical Association (FMH).
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/jc
Português
pt
Suíça depende demais de médicos mais velhos e estrangeiros
“Measures to counter the shortage of doctors are becoming urgent,” the FMH warned in its latest bulletin, published on Wednesday. Statistics for 2021 show a continuing trend towards an ageing medical profession and an increase in the number of doctors with foreign qualifications.
Of the 39,222 doctors practising in Switzerland last year (up 1.9% on the previous year), half were aged 50 or over and a quarter were aged 60 or over, writes the FMH. The average age of the outpatient medical profession was 55, compared with 52 in 2005.
The number of women in the profession has also continued to increase, rising by almost 700 last year. They now represent nearly 45% of doctors in Switzerland.
The majority of doctors of foreign origin come from Germany (52%), followed by Italy (9.2%), France (7.2%) and Austria (6%). The FMH expects dependence on foreign countries to continue increasing.
Whether Switzerland will have enough doctors to provide adequate care for patients in the future depends on future political decisions, the organisation warns.
“The quality and performance of the Swiss health system also depend on the conditions under which doctors can practise their profession in Switzerland,” it concluded.
Switzerland to introduce flight passenger database
This content was published on
Switzerland plans to introduce a flight passenger database to help collect and process personal data in a bid to combat terrorism and serious crime.
Government plans to invest over CHF16bn in Swiss rail network
This content was published on
The federal government intends to invest CHF16.4 billion ($18.1 billion) in railway infrastructure between 2025 and 2028, CHF2 billion more than for the current period.
Swiss to vote on pension reform and biodiversity in September
This content was published on
Swiss citizens will vote on occupational pension schemes and a biodiversity initiative on September 22, the Federal Council announced on Wednesday.
Ukraine peace talks: 50 countries have confirmed participation
This content was published on
To date, 50 countries out 160 invited delegations have confirmed they will attend the Ukraine peace conference, held in central Switzerland in mid-June, according to Swiss public radio, RTS.
Federer-backed On boosts forecast after sneaker demand rises
This content was published on
Swiss footwear company On Holding AG posted strong first-quarter revenue, boosted by demand for its running shoes and new line of training apparel.
Michael Schumacher’s watches fetch CHF4 million at Swiss auction
This content was published on
Watches belonging to Formula 1 great Michael Schumacher sold for around CHF4 million ($4.41 million) at auction house Christie's in Geneva on Tuesday.
Macron will attend Swiss summit on Ukraine, says Zelensky
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the peace conference on Ukraine at the Swiss Bürgenstock resort next month, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
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.
Read more
More
Male doctors earn 25% more than their female counterparts
This content was published on
Self-employed male doctors earn on average 25% more than female self-employed doctors, according to the latest statistics.
This content was published on
Almost three quarters of new doctors in Switzerland studied abroad, statistics reveal, showing the health system's reliance on foreign doctors.
Top doctors warn government of collapse of hospital system
This content was published on
Representative of five university hospitals have sent a warning to Health Minister Alain Berset about overburdened medical institutions.
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.