According to the The Swiss Medical Weekly, 40% of GPs across Switzerland are complaining of burnout. The problem is countrywide but worse in the Western (French speaking) part where the number rises to 50%. Factors cited include the fact that many GPs work alone, feel overloaded and are dissatisfied with their pay. Less than 20% of young medical students surveyed say they’ll go into general practice because of pay and working conditions. The majority plan to specialize straight away. One difference between the French and German part is that GPs north of the rostigraben can sell the drugs they prescribe, which helps boost their income.

I know my commune have written to the chief medical officer of the canton expressing concern about the falling number of GPs in the area. The reply was yes, but there's no immediate solution to the problem.

North of the Röstigraben
Don't you mean east of the Röstigraben?

I really cannot believe this : My suggested therapy is a move to UK where I would guess they would never feel alone as the average GP seems booked from 8.30 to 5.00pm in 5 minute slots . and if my bills are anything to go by : I cannot imagine that the real work/value equation would be an issue after a quick UK spell.

I suspect that grass looks greener elsewhere but not until you tried it.

The obvious solution would seem to be to increase the value per point for a generalist and decrease the value per point for a specialist. Am I the first to come up with this solution? Damn I must be some sort of genius

Let's compromise on north east.

Sounds like they don't need to. They're happy to stay put....but specializing and avoiding general practice.

It's not just a money problem. Seems the authorities are trying to get more of them to set up in group practices to share the load/cost. It's always surprised me how many are single practioners there are here.

The new doctor(s) I've selected in Basel are in a group practice. The one I picked lists as an "English speaking" GP but he is also an internal medicine doctor specializing in infectious disease.

I don't know what's up with that... maybe the doctors in his practice have figured out some loophole that others haven't?

Most internists in the US and apparently here too have a specialty, such as hematology, infectious disease, allergy. Probably did some extra training in residency. Within a practice, may see specific patients or just advise general practice rules. They also see general internal medicine patients like the rest of the practice.

Looking at the survey, this isn't a new problem. It's been building up for a number years. The concern is that the rates of GPs reporting burnout and the number of doctors not electing to go into general practice are accelerating. In some places, this is now impacting access to care. With fewer and fewer medical students going into general practice, more and more people are having to resort to emergency clinics because they can't get a GP to see them when they want. I know when I moved communes, it took me four calls before I could get a GP to take us on. The first three I called said they weren't taking new patients. Since then, one of those GPs has retired and no one has taken her place. In cities that probably isn't a big issue yet but in small towns and rural areas the impact is bigger.

It would be great if they could be opened enough to hire doctors from overseas then. I've had a GP in France from Marocco, and he is the best GP i've had. Same with gynecologist. The one I saw in France was from Eastern europe. And he was not taking the job of any French nationals since there is a shortage of specialists there. If there aren't enough docs here, that could be a solution! And I'm sure all French GP would come running here when you see how little they earn back there !

My GP is from Romania, she is great...she speaks perfect German (not that I am affected) and decent English. In all, I think Swiss healthcare is the best, I mean it. So in order to keep it this level they need to be re assured if a foreigner will practice here he has to have the same level and I am guessing this takes years...so can deter some foreign doctors.

Back on topic, I think Basel has a good number of GPs but I have heard that in other parts of CH it is not so, which could contribute to the overbooking of GPs

True. But there are already plenty of foreign doctors here. The problem is getting them where they're needed...into general practice. Germany and France also have a shortage of GPs. So does the UK. I realize their are other countries they could recruit from, even in EU, but the need for fluency in language would cut down the number of doctors eligible to practice here, even if they were ready, medically qualified and willing.

There might be plenty of doctors here, but there's an unwillingness to recognize their education and training because they aren't from a 'chosen' country.

Is that really true?
Shorrick's post in this thread suggests that under the bilateral agreement on free movement of persons, all EU-25 medecine diplomas are recognised in Switzerland.
Coming to Switzerland and working as a doctor?
I know for a fact that Switzerland runs recruiting campaigns for doctors from abroad.

All that money doesn't count itself, you know.

As long as you're from the EU, everything seems golden, eh? I've not heard about a program for bringing in non-EU doctors and helping them get recognized here.

You do realise that it would be really helpful too, if they understood their patients and vice-versa...?!
The problem seems more likely that the new generations fancy more of an Greys Anatomy/ER/Nip Tuck kind of career - who wants to waste their best years away by actually helping people where they need it, instead of where you get the best publications and pay..

Do you have the link to the article about swiss doctors complain of the burnout?

Thanks,

Karina

My guess is that they do focus on EU. Probably because outside bloc of Italy, the allemanic speaking and francophone countries, the further afield you go, the less likely you are to get find enough doctors with fluency in languages to make it worth the effort. It's the law of diminishing returns. I mean I doubt you'd find that many GPS in the UK are fluent in one of the three languages. Doubtless there are some, but not enough to solve the problem. Also may be they think EU doctors will be more likely to settle and integrate here. I don't see the point of recruiting a whole load of jobbing expats into general practice. I'd hate it if my GP changed every two or three years. As it is, my GP here is 65 years old. When he retires my commune might go down from four to GPs to just two if no one takes his place.

A member of family is a GP in the UK. He says going into General Practice is the biggest mistake he ever made. He bitterly regrets not having specialized and says many of his peers feel the same. Nothing to do with money. It's the working conditions. I seriously doubt he'd leave the UK to do the same job in Switzerland even if he was fluent in one of the lingos here.

http://www.smw.ch/index.php?id=smw-2010-13070

Here's a discussion in English on radio:
http://worldradio.ch/wrs/news/switze...rs.shtml?20441

Thanks,

Karina[/QUOTE]

As far as I know, the swiss GP federation (FMH) was a great supporter of the numerus clausus in medical studies. That was a way to guarantee good revenues to future GP. Now they pushed the rule so far and did not have the good idea to track population evolution to adapt the numerus clausus. So the GP suffer from burnout, but hey it was their decision....for financial purpose, now they complain.