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HEALTH

Burnout on the rise among Swiss doctors

Almost 200 doctors sought help due to stress, anxiety and self-doubt in Switzerland last year – this figure is double that seen six years ago.

Published: 23 October 2022 17:20 CEST
geneva university hospital
File photo of Geneva University Hospital (HUG) from 2014. Hospital doctors have struggled with a massive increase in workload as result of the pandemic. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

Professional exhaustion in the medical profession is on the rise, a spokesperson from the Federation of Swiss Doctors (FMH) told Swiss newspaper NZZ am Sonntag.

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly increased doctors’ workloads last year, particularly for those who work in hospitals.

More than half of the 1,500 doctors surveyed in a FMH poll this week reported that they “usually or frequently” experienced stress over the last year.

Some said they felt they could no longer meet the requirements of the job.

But the amount of work they have to do isn’t the only reason for the increase in burnout, which is around twice as common in doctors compared to other professionals.

A shortage of qualified staff is also contributing to the rising exhaustion rates, with hospitals struggling to fill empty posts.

This is particularly bad in rural areas where some establishments receive hardly any applications for vacant position.

Some clinics have to wait for months before they can hire someone and, in the meantime, other staff have to take on the extra work, irrespective of how heavy their workload is already.

According to VSAO, the Swiss Association of Junior and Senior Physicians, every second junior doctor is on duty longer than the 50 hours permitted each week.

And two out of every three doctors work more than the law allows.

It’s not surprising, therefore, that in 2021, a total of 189 doctors sought help from support network for doctors in crisis Remed, due to anxiety, depression, self-doubt or overwhelming workloads.This number has almost doubled since 2015.

Two out of every three of those calls were made by female doctors.

These are often conscientious, competent and sensitive women who are exhausted by their dual role of mother and doctor, ReMed psychiatrist Mirjam Tanner explained to the German-speaking newspaper.

They expressed admiration for colleagues who seemed to get things done so easily while they themselves felt incapable of being a good doctor.

But Tanner explained that just because male doctors were less likely to ask for help, that did not necessarily mean they were coping better, simply that they have a higher inhibition threshold when it comes to seeking advice.

Nor did the psychiatrist expect calls for help to decrease, noting that more people were aware of the ReMed service now and that more people were open to getting support.

And what about a solution? The FMH spokesperson said the only way out of the situation in the short term would be to reduce capacity – ie to close beds or even entire departments.

Longer term, they are calling for more doctors to be trained.

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FOOD AND DRINK

EXPLAINED: What does the ‘bio’ label on foods in Switzerland really mean?

All major Swiss supermarkets have products designated as ‘bio’, which refers to their ‘organic’ farming or manufacturing methods. But what exactly does this label represent?

Published: 24 June 2024 11:31 CEST
EXPLAINED: What does the 'bio' label on foods in Switzerland really mean?

In its press release published in June 2024, Bio Suisse, an umbrella group for organic food producers, said that residents of Switzerland are international ‘bio’ champions. 

“With consumption of 454 francs per capita, Switzerland ranks first in international comparison,” the organisation said. “In no other European country is the organic basket of goods as large.”

In terms of preference for organic food, “Switzerland is ahead of Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg and Sweden. Germany follows in sixth place and France just behind in seventh place,” Bio-Suisse added.

This finding is not surprising because the consumption of this more expensive type of food is directly linked to income: the wealthier the country, the more its residents are willing to spend on organic products.

What does a ‘bio’ label stand for in Switzerland?

In a nutshell, organic products must meet much higher standards and comply with more requirements than the ‘conventional’ foods in the way they are grown and manufactured.

Contrary to most conventional production methods, organic farming is more sustainable — that is, it protects the environment and conserves resources instead of depleting them.

A total of 7,362 organic farmers and producers are members of Bio Suisse.

In addition, more than 2,300 operations abroad are also certified according to the Bio Suisse standards, which means their farming / production methods are equivalent to those practiced in Switzerland.

Can you trust a ‘bio’ label, or is it just a lot of hype (as some people claim?)

In Switzerland, this process is strictly controlled by various organic farming ordinances, which are enforced by the Federal Office for Agriculture (BLW). 

This means that every farm that produces, prepares, trades or imports organic products is inspected and certified at least once a year by one of the four accredited and approved certification bodies in Switzerland.

These laws also set out the principles by which agricultural products and foodstuffs labelled as organic must be made, and which non-toxic substances are authorised for use in organic farming and for preparing organic food.

Why are organic products more expensive than conventional ones?

Among the main reasons are more rigorous production and certification standards, which must meet all the requirements set out by the BLW.

Also, operational costs involved in the use of natural, pesticide-free fertilisers and high-quality animal feed, are higher in organic farming than in conventional one.

Additionally, the supply of organic food in Swiss supermarkets is more limited than that of conventional one, which pushes prices up.

And then there is this often-asked question: is organic food in Switzerland in really healthier?

Some people will swear by the better quality and higher nutritional value of organic products, while others will say the benefits are exaggerated.

There is no definite answer to this question, except this: some studies have shown possible health benefits of organic foods when compared with foods grown using conventional process.

However, there is limited information to prove how these differences can give potential overall health benefits.

But Zurich authorities believe in the ‘power’ of organic foods: in 2022, they mandated that most of the food served in the city’s hospitals, care centres, childcare facilities, and schools, be organic.

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