Top specialists in all areas of medicine

Switzerland offers a huge range of medical services, making it ideal for international visitors. Diverse specialist areas are bundled together in treatment centres covering disciplines from cardiology to oncology right through to the rehabilitation department. The Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence or the Clinique Générale-Beaulieu bring together 29 specialist medical areas under one roof. At the other end of the scale, there are also hospitals that have specialised in a single area. The MENTALVA Private Clinic, for example, is a private psychiatric establishment focusing on psychotherapy and complementary medicine. The Hirslanden Private Hospital Group, meanwhile, is a group of several Swiss hospitals including the Klinik Hirslanden and the Klinik im Park in Zurich, as well as the Clinique des Grangettes and the Clinique La Colline in Geneva. The Swiss Medical Network is another group of leading Swiss hospitals. Prof. André Mermoud, Medical Director of the Clinique de Montchoisi, says: “Our highly qualified network of experts guarantees personalised medical treatment and top-quality support.”

Innovation and cutting-edge technology
Switzerland also benefits from the excellent cooperation between research institutes, the pharmaceutical industry and medical universities. Roche and Novartis, two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, have their head offices in Switzerland. As a centre for international research, Switzerland provides an excellent infrastructure with highly specialised experts. Emerging young talents benefit from the excellent level of expertise in a range of specialist areas such as genetics. This thirst for knowledge encourages innovation and new technologies, which is beneficial for hospitals and patients alike. Thanks to the best possible treatments, Switzerland has the highest survival rate in the world for cancer patients. As Marco Gulgoz, Director of the Klinik Hirslanden, puts it: “We guarantee our patients the highest quality of care based on the latest medical findings.”

Excellent medical qualifications
Switzerland has many highly qualified academics. Trainee doctors are taught by the best. Medical studies are followed by many years of further training to become a specialist in a particular area. Doctors are not allowed to work independently in Switzerland without a specialist qualification. This ensures a high quality of medical care for patients and is another key benefit for international visitors. Every single medical professional possesses a wealth of expert knowledge, and lifelong further training and development is a given. Stephan Fricker, CEO of the Merian Iselin Clinic, sums up this feature of the Swiss healthcare system as follows: “We focus all our attention on the wellbeing and comfort of our patients, and on ensuring that they receive top-quality treatment.”

Text: Dr Kathrin Zimmermann