Switzerland in the middle of Europe but politically outside the European Union is historically divided in different regions (Kantone) which are very independent. So is the Health Care system.

Every one has to pay a monthly amount (e.g. 200€) for his insurance company. This money and the support by each Region feeds the national Health Care system which costs about 5 billion Swiss francs a year. This amount rises every year and so rise the monthly paid fee for everyone of us. This coses a pressure on the national Health care and so fare the general practicionars (GP) called "Hausärzte" were a major loser of this recent development. 

Swiss GPs are important in the primary care and began in 2006 to make serious calls for help. Meanwhile things change but in Switzerland as may be in every country changes happen slowly. In 2010 a national legislative initiative to strengthen Primary Care in Switzerland was successfully brought to the government. Still there is hope for change.

Swiss GPs are mainly male, 55-65 years old and own their single practice. Young GPs are mainly female, keen to work part time, can't spend millions to own a practice and are just a few. Some say in 2015 there will be a major lack of GPs in Switzerland. The reasons for this: incertainty on behalf of the future of this profession, too much administrative work, too much pressure on the income for GPs and still a feeling of: be a GP is plan B. 

Many GP organisations now stand together and fight for a modern and strong Primary Care. The GP Training is newly organized, there are new models for practices (e.g. group practice)and the young GP are keen to become good educated and trained future GPs.

Switzerland is easy to travel. There is a very good public transportation system that brings you within an hour to all major cities like Bern (the Capital) and Zurich (economic center and biggest city). We have 4 different languages spoken in different regions. In the west there's french, in the south east italian, in the east (in just some regions) a local language that's called "rumantsch" and in the main center, north and north east part we speak in a dialect of the German language. Currency is the Swiss franc and what else? I won't tell you about chocolate and cheese because this story you already know. Still Switzerland will offer you more than that. Come and find out.

National Exchange Coordinator Switzerland

Dr Franziska Morger (hippokrates@jhas.ch)