Appropriate patient care
The FOPH wishes to promote appropriate patient care. For this purpose, the FOPH, in collaboration with all stakeholders, has drawn up a Masterpan which includes ongoing and planned activities.
What is the purpose of this initiative?
Goal of the initiative
The initiative to promote appropriate patient care was launched in order to promote dialogue and networking with all stakeholders involved in patient care. The goal is to avoid over-, under- or misuse and thus to improve patient care.
Roleof the FOPH and stakeholders
In order to promote appropriate patient care, the FOPH has intensified dialogue among all the parties concerned and has assumed a coordinating role. Since responsibilities and powers are distributed among numerous different stakeholders within the Swiss healthcare system, over-, under- or misuse cannot be controlled by a single stakeholder or by the FOPH alone. All stakeholders have a part to play.
Causes of over-, under- and misuse
The causes of over-, under- and misuse are manifold. Activities designed to improve patient care must therefore involve various lines of attack. Causal clusters identified in the literature include service provision, patient behaviour, the health system (e.g. care structures, tariff-related incentives), and science and research.
Many stakeholders are planning or have already initiated activities to promote appropriate patient care (e.g. The Obsan Swiss Health Care Atlas, smarter medicine - Choosing Wisely Switzerland).
Masterplan
In order to create a common framework for the promotion of appropriate patient care, the FOPH has developed a Masterplan in collaboration with all stakeholders involved in healthcare.
The Masterplan includes the theoretical basis for appropriate patient care and serves as a thematically structured overview of the ongoing and planned activities of all actors in this sector.
Steps taken by the FOPH so far…
The Masterplan has been developed on a participatory basis in close consultation with all stakeholders involved in healthcare.
In Phase 1, a shared understanding of the aims of the initiative was developed, and an overview produced of ongoing or specifically planned activities designed to promote appropriate patient care.
To this end, at a kick-off meeting held on 25 March 2024, the FOPH presented its planned procedure to various umbrella associations.
At a workshop held on 14 May 2024, over 30 representatives of various stakeholders participated in the discussion and further development of the goals, interfaces, and possible action areas proposed by the FOPH, as well as the planned procedure.
As the next step, an initial activities survey was conducted in summer 2024. Stakeholders were invited to submit their ongoing and planned activities relating to the promotion of appropriate patient care.
The survey results and the first draft of the Masterplan were discussed by all stakeholders at another workshop on 15 October 2024, and the stakeholders then engaged in written consultation on all documents (December 2024 - March 2025).
... and outlook
Initially, a regular exchange and transfer of knowledge between the stakeholders was envisaged. Owing to major changes in the healthcare system, many resources are now tied at either the stakeholder or federal level. A regular exchange organised by the FOPH with additional workshops and surveys on the activities is therefore not envisaged. This may be resumed at a later date if resources are made available.
All stakeholders – in line with their available competencies – are now called on to conduct the existing and planned activities for the further promotion of appropriate patient care. Moreover, the bases set out in the Masterplan with the fields of activity and list of activities can be used by all stakeholders to initiate new activities where gaps exist.
Further information
Index
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Health insurance benefits Division
Schwarzenburgstrasse 157
Switzerland - 3003 Bern