Quality, safety and discretion in Swiss hospitals

Discretion is part of the Swiss mentality, allowing even ultra-famous celebrities to move about in public with complete freedom. This entices a host of prominent visitors to holiday in the relaxing mountains. The British royal family, including Prince Charles and his sons William and Harry, have for many years come to Klosters to ski there. St. Moritz, meanwhile, has played host to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Monaco royal family. Other stars have gone so far as to relocate to Switzerland permanently to take advantage of the safe and relaxed atmosphere. Tina Turner lives in a villa by Lake Zurich, while James Blunt owns a chalet in Verbier and has opened his own restaurant in the resort. Total confidentiality makes Switzerland a particularly suitable destination for international patients seeking medical treatment.

High degree of privacy
Protecting patients’ privacy is a matter of course in Swiss hospitals. Dr Randolph Willis, Medical Director at the Clinic Les Alpes, describes the treatment process as follows: “A comprehensive, premium-quality service that combines personalised treatment and a path to recovery with the utmost discretion.” Medical confidentiality is a precious commodity based on the Hippocratic Oath. Hippocrates was a Greek doctor who lived in Kos from around 460 to around 370 BC. The World Medical Association has since adapted his original wording for modern medicine. The Declaration of Geneva, first adopted in 1948, was last amended in 2017 and states that a doctor’s first consideration is the health and wellbeing of their patient. Swiss hospitals practise first-class medicine in accordance with this principle.

Political and health security
Switzerland also enjoys a high level of political security and has been recognised as a neutral country since 1907. It is a direct democracy, meaning that the people elect the members of the Swiss parliament. The country is governed by the Federal Council, whose seven members are elected by the parliament. The Swiss healthcare system reflects this traditional independence and the country’s security requirements: citizens have free access to basic medical care thanks to a compulsory health insurance system. The country’s political reliability and resilient economy are also helping it to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. According to a study by the Deep Knowledge Group, Switzerland is the safest country in the world with regard to combating the coronavirus. Medical risk is a key factor for international patients. On its Travel Risk Map 2020, International SOS has rated Switzerland together with other countries in Northern Europe as the safest region for travel.

Text: Dr Kathrin Zimmermann