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Around one hospital in ten in Switzerland could end up in financial difficultly, according to a report by PWC.
In addition, 37 of the 44 hospitals surveyed will not be profitable enough to remain competitive over the next five to ten years, predict the authors of the report.
The shift towards more outpatient care instead of more expensive hospitalisation is still a work in progress. Substantial disincentives to make the shift have not been eliminated or in some cases have even exacerbated, according to PWC.
New guidelines introduced in 2012 by SwissDRG, which set fixed prices for certain treatments, have not been rolled out nationwide. Where they have been they have hit the finances of some inefficient hospitals that have been unable to cover their costs with these fixed fees.
To survive or flourish hospitals will need new efficient outpatient operating models. Infrastructure must be practical and inexpensive and wherever possible hospitals have to reduce avoidable costs and share human resources, said the report.
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