Parliament decided in principle to set up a government-appointed commission, made up of medical experts, insurance companies, patients, hospitals as well as the cantons to define compulsory rules to ensure the quality of treatments.
The panel of experts will have the right to sanction providers of medical services who fail to adhere to the standards.
Supporters hailed the decision as a breakthrough as it comes after more than ten years of political controversy. The creation of the panel is part of a legal amendment that still needs final confirmation by parliament.
Tuesday’s discussions in the Senate focused on the role of the state and the private health sector as well as the funding of the panel of experts.
It is estimated that about 3,000 patients die in Swiss hospitals as a result of medical errors.
Medical devices
Meanwhile, parliament has decided to adapt Swiss law on medical devices and therapies to European Union regulations following several scandals about faulty implants and prosthetics.
Interior Minister Alain Berset, whose portfolio includes health matters, said the legal amendment will help ensure Swiss medical device producers maintain access to the EU market.
Exports to the 28-nation bloc are worth about CHF6 billion ($6 billion) annually. There are about 1,350 companies with more than 54,000 employees active in the sector of medical devices, including X-ray machines, blood pressure monitors, implants, glasses and adhesive bandages.
More
More
Do doctors spend more time on paperwork or with patients?
This content was published on
Research from one Swiss hospital has shown what takes up the most time in a doctor’s day.
Is artificial intelligence an advantage or a disadvantage for workers?
What is your experience with AI at work? Have you already used it? Has it helped you work better? Or has it caused you more stress, more work or caused you to lose your job? Tell us about your experiences!
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
A day in the life of a GP
This content was published on
Fewer and fewer medical students are choosing to become family doctors in part due to unattractive conditions and a heavy workload. At the same time, up to half of the country’s GPs are set to retire by 2016. Photographer Severin Nowacki spent time in 2006 with GP Walter Raaflaub at his practice in the Bernese…
This content was published on
Pictures from the medical history archives at Zurich University, show what it was like to study medicine in the old days. They were displayed as part of the university’s 175th anniversary celebrations in 2008. (All photos from the medical history archive).
This content was published on
Multidrug-resistant gut bacteria called vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are on the rise in Swiss hospitals. The strains are identical to those causing infections in Australia and New Zealand.
A fracture exposes cracks in Switzerland’s hospital system
This content was published on
A senior shares how she was bounced among hospitals for a straightforward health problem, experiencing systemic healthcare issues along the way.
This content was published on
Fewer inpatients were treated in Swiss hospitals in 2017, the first time that the number of hospital admittances has declined since records began.
Emergency hospital admissions vary widely between cantons
This content was published on
Residents in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland are more likely to head to hospital emergency departments than those in German-speaking regions.
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.