Swiss population satisfied with medical care
Published: Monday, Dec 4th 2023, 17:40
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The Swiss population is satisfied with its medical care. In a survey, almost two thirds described the quality of care as "excellent" or "very good". Compared to three years ago, however, satisfaction has fallen.
In the last survey in 2020, the proportion was still around three quarters, as announced by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) on Monday. The survey is conducted by the Commonwealth Fund Foundation every three years among people over the age of 18 in ten countries.
In German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland, healthcare is also rated better than in Italian-speaking Switzerland, where the same figure is just over half.
The majority of the Swiss population also rate their own health as "good" or "very good". However, this value has also decreased slightly compared to the last three surveys. This means that Switzerland is no longer in first place in an international comparison, but in second place behind New Zealand and ahead of the USA.
Chronic diseases on the rise
Almost half of the population in Switzerland suffers from at least one chronic illness, according to the survey. The most frequently mentioned illnesses in the survey were high blood pressure, asthma, chronic lung disease and mental illness. In 2023, one in ten people in Switzerland was receiving treatment for a mental health problem.
In an international comparison, Switzerland has the second-lowest proportion of chronic illnesses after France. In Australia, for example, more than two thirds of people have a chronic illness. However, according to the FOPH, the figure in Switzerland has risen since 2010.
Difficult access at the weekend
According to the survey, it has become more difficult to receive medical treatment outside of normal opening hours. 60 percent of respondents stated that it was "very difficult" or "rather difficult" to receive medical treatment in the evenings, at weekends or on public holidays without visiting an emergency ward or emergency practice. In 2020, this proportion was half.
The Commonwealth Fund is a private, non-profit American foundation. In addition to Switzerland, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the UK, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA took part in the 2023 survey.
©Keystone/SDA
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