Concern at Swiss dependence on older and foreign doctors
The average age of doctors is rising, warns the Swiss Medical Association, and so is dependence on foreign doctors.
Keystone / Peter Klaunzer
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.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
This content was published on
Legal action aims to put an end to the delivery of the six Elbit reconnaissance drones already plagued by delays and setbacks.
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
This content was published on
The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
This content was published on
Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
This content was published on
In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.
WHO ‘extremely concerned’ about growing vaccination scepticism
This content was published on
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination scepticism and a collapse in funding for vaccination campaigns pose a major threat to the health of the world's population.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
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.