Two-thirds of doctors’ surgeries in Switzerland expect to end the year with financial losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Some 42% said income has been “significantly” eroded as a result of people staying at home during the lockdown rather than visiting their doctor with ailments.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Português
pt
Pandemia afeta saúde financeira dos médicos suíços
A survey of more than 12,000 physicians by the Swiss Medical Association in May found that workloads significantly increased for around one in ten respondents. But a third experienced a significant drop in work in March, rising to nearly half in April.
As a result, 4% of respondents said the financial hit threatened their very existence. More than a third had to put staff on short-time work while a small minority had to lay off some workers.
Of the respondents, 282 said they had contracted COVID-19. This is a higher infection rate (2.3%) than the general population, but the report points out that a greater percentage of doctors were tested. A quarter of doctors said they belonged to an “at risk” group as defined by the health authorities.
Around a third of the surveyed doctors said they had been in contact with infected or potentially infected patients at least every other day in March. That figure had dropped to 12% by the mid-May. Just over a quarter said they had never been in contact with infected patients during the same time frame.
The availability of protective equipment, such as face masks and disinfectant, was a problem at the start of the pandemic, with well over half of respondents reporting shortages. The situation did not improve until May.
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
Coronavirus: A turning point for telehealth in Switzerland
This content was published on
The Covid-19 pandemic has given a new impetus to telehealth, with lockdown leading to an increase in remote medical consultations.
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.