Swiss Hospitals Face Critical Staff Recognition Delays

Swiss hospitals warn that months-long delays in recognizing foreign medical qualifications are threatening healthcare quality, as staff shortages intensify.

Key Takeaways

Foreign doctors face months-long delays for diploma recognition in Switzerland.
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) attributes delays to cost-cutting measures and staff shortages.
The FOPH aims to reduce processing times to under three months by the end of 2025.

By The Numbers

Several months

Wait time

< 3 months

Target processing time

They Said

"This situation is untenable."
— H+ (Swiss Hospital Association)

"If hospitals are unable to replace retiring specialists in good time, the safety of care will be compromised."
— H+ (Swiss Hospital Association)

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Sources & References

Swiss hospitals urge faster recognition of foreign medical qualifications

SWI swissinfo.ch