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
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
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.