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New Swiss centre hopes to tackle obesity ‘epidemic’

A Swiss hospital and psychiatric centre are joining forces to offer a range of treatments to combat the country's growing problem of obesity.

Published: 15 March 2016 11:41 CET

New Swiss centre hopes to tackle obesity 'epidemic'

Photo: AFP

The Neuchâtel Hospital (HNe) and the Neuchâtel Centre for Psychiatry (CNP) hope that their combined resources will allow the new centre to standardize procedures and guarantee high standards of treatment quality for Switzerland's increasing number of obese citizens.

11 percent of the Swiss population is obese, according to figures from the hospital. In a statement, Dr Marc Worreth, head of surgery at the centre, described it as an “epidemic” in Switzerland and other Western countries.

“The proportion of obese Swiss people has not stopped rising since the OMS recognized obesity as an illness in 1997,” Pierre-Emmanuel Buss, the hospital's communication officer, told The Local. He said that the increase was particularly alarming because of the rise in cases among adolescents and young adults, as well as those classified as “severely obese”.

The new Medical and Surgical Centre of Obesity aims to take care of patients in a “multidisciplinary way”, Buss said, with doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, dieticians and surgeons working together and with the patient to determine the best course of treatment in order to ensure a healthy lifestyle change.

“Surgery is not just a final resort,” explained Buss. “The preparatory phase is very important, allowing us to inform and prepare the patient.”

Before surgery can take place, patients will typically have around 20 appointments and be monitored for one to two years, to ensure they are ready.

The centre has already treated over 100 patients from the French-speaking cantons, but after its official inauguration, planned for Tuesday, March 22nd, hospital chiefs are expecting at least a 50 percent increase. Currently ten specialists are working at the centre, which does not yet have fixed premises either, but more will be recruited in the coming months.

Buss told The Local that changing public perceptions of obesity was not among the goals of the centre, but they did hope to change the perception of how the condition should be treated, which should “absolutely be in a multidisciplinary way”.

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How difficult is it to change your doctor in Switzerland?

There are a number of reasons why you may want to leave your GP and find a new one.

Maybe you don’t like their bedside manner, are not happy with the medical care, or are simply moving away and need to find someone closer to your new home.

Whatever the reason, whether or not you can easily switch from one doctor to another depends on the kind of health insurance you have.

Different models, different rights

If you have the ‘standard’ — and typically the most expensive — type of the obligatory health insurance (KVG / LaMal), then you are free to switch your GPs at will, and you don’t have to inform the insurance carrier of the switch.

However, if you have opted for one of the cheaper insurance models, then your right to switch doctors may be limited:

Family doctor model’

It is the most popular in Switzerland (and 20 percent cheaper than standard insurance policy premiums).

Under this model, you have a family doctor who will manage your care — that is, treat you or send you to specialists if needed (with the exception of gynecologists and eye doctors, who don’t require a referral).

You can’t, however, change doctors at will, unless your insurance company approves the switch.

Telemedicine model

If you have opted for the Telemed formula, you must call a health hotline set up by your insurance company.

They will give you a referral to a doctor or hospital based on your symptoms.

Heath Maintainance Organisation (HMO)

Under this model, policyholders are required to consult a particular HMO practice. Two disadvantages of this alternative is a limited choice of doctors and you also need a referral to see a specialist.

So the only option that gives you the right to switch doctors with no hassle is the standard one, with the family doctor model also possibly allowing you to do so, under certain circumstances.

The way Telmed and HMO are set up, however, switching doctors is not possible. If that option is important to you, then you will have to switch to the (more expensive) standard insurance.

The only exception to the above restrictions are emergencies, when you need urgent medical treatment.

Assuming you have the standard model, how do you go about changing?

The process is pretty simple: you can find physicians in your area either through recommendations from people you know (which is the best way to ensure you will not be getting an ‘anonymous’ doctor) or, if no recommendations are available, then through the OneDoc platform, which lists which doctors are taking new patients and where.

You can then make an appointment directly online.

When you do so, ask your current physician’s office to transfer your file to the new doc.

You don’t need to explain the reasons for the switch.

READ ALSO: The essential Swiss websites you need to use for health matters

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