# Establishments in health and social services

A thematic map of the Atlas of Switzerland, the national atlas published by ETH Zurich. The map is drawn in the browser; this file describes it and lists its variants and links, but not the data values shown on the map.

- Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/establishments-in-health-and-social-services/
- Short title: Human health and social work activities: establishments
- Map id: 839
- Categories: Economy and Energy › Services › Human health and social work activities
- Keywords: Economy, Health, Labour, Labour force
- Published: 2020-11-04
- Last revised: 2022-02-11
- Content language: English
- Other languages: [Deutsch](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/de/thema/arbeitsstaetten-im-gesundheits--und-sozialwesen.md), [Français](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/fr/theme/etablissements-dans-les-services-sociaux-et-de-sante.md), [Italiano](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/it/tema/unita-locali-nei-servizi-sanitari-e-sociali.md)

## Description

Institutional healthcare differentiates between service providers in the inpatient sector and those in the outpatient sector. The former comprises inpatient departments in hospitals, nursing homes for the elderly and “specialised institutions” for those with disabilities, psychosocial issues or addiction problems. In 2018, nursing homes provided the greatest capacity with 99,622 beds, followed by hospitals with 37,956 beds. The outpatient sector is made up of many different service providers. These include, in particular, non-inpatient services in hospitals, private medical or dental practices and various paramedical services.

### Hospitals

In 2018, 281 companies were found to provide treatment at 580 locations. There are a particularly large number of locations in the densely populated cantons of Bern, Zurich and Vaud. Of the 102 hospital companies providing general care, 44 provided major medical services (university hospitals and large cantonal hospitals) and 58 provided basic services (regional hospitals and other smaller hospitals). The 179 specialist clinics in Switzerland include 50 psychiatric clinics, 54 rehabilitation clinics and 75 other clinics. In 2018, a total of 216,722 people worked in hospitals, translating to 168,372 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, 77% of whom were working in general care hospitals. Of the staff, 14% are doctors, 41% nurses, 15% other medical professionals and 30% work in central services.

### Nursing homes

Nursing homes provide somatic geriatric care for people with age-related physical ailments or psychogeriatric care for mentally impaired elderly people. They offer services in the areas of housing, meals, care and day-to-day activities. As of 2018, there were a total of 1,566 nursing homes in Switzerland. Each nursing home offered an average of 61 places, ranging anywhere from one offering just under ten accommodation places through to large enterprises with more than 300 places and an almost hospital-like infrastructure. As of 2018, 134,433 people were working in nursing homes, which corresponds to 96,453 full-time positions (FTE). The proportion of women was 80% and the proportion of part-time workers is also relatively high.

### Help and care at home (Spitex)

The core tasks of Spitex include the provision of nursing care, housekeeping and social care services as well as the home meals service. Of the 2,168 service providers surveyed in 2018, 27% were public or non-profit organisations. Self-employed care professionals accounted for 51% of the service providers and the remaining 22% were profit-oriented private companies. There are 23,554 full-time positions available for local services. In western parts of the country, Spitex coverage is generally higher than in the rest of Switzerland. Since 2002, the number of people employed by Spitex services has steadily increased.

### Doctor’s surgeries and outpatient centres

Doctor’s surgeries and outpatient centres are the first point of contact for the population for all matters relating to general healthcare. As of 2017, 17,560 doctor’s surgeries and outpatient centres provided medical services at a total of 17,860 locations and employed 24,424 doctors (17,774 FTE). 58,824 non-medical staff were employed in doctor’s surgeries and outpatient centres (26,254 FTE).

### Dental care

As of 2018, dental care was provided by 4,337 dentists, corresponding to 51 dentists per 100,000 residents.

## Sources

- FSO (2019): Gesundheitsstatistik 2019

## Data sources

- Atlas der Schweiz: Administrative Einheiten 1:1 Mio. (Gemeinden, Bezirke, Kantone)
- Atlas of Switzerland (2010): [Basiskarte 1:500.000](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- Atlas of Switzerland: [Administrative Einheiten 1:500.000 (Gemeinden, Bezirke, Kantone)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- ETH Zurich: [Atlas of Switzerland](https://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- FSO (2020): [Statistik der Unternehmensstruktur](https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/industrie-dienstleistungen/erhebungen/statent.html)
- swisstopo [J160089] (2010): [Gemeindegrenzen GG25](https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/de/products/landscape/boundaries3D)
- swisstopo [J160089] (2010): [Landeskarte 1:500.000](https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/de/products/maps/national/lk500)

## Data owners

- [Swiss Federal Office of Culture (FOC)](https://www.bak.admin.ch)
- [Atlas of Switzerland (AoS)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- [Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO)](https://www.bfs.admin.ch/)
- [Swiss Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo)](http://www.swisstopo.admin.ch/)

## Citation

The terms of use ask to name the Atlas of Switzerland and the data owners, and to keep the source references in exports, screenshots and embeds. Cite the map as:

> Atlas of Switzerland (2022): Establishments in health and social services. ETH Zürich. Map data © FOC, AoS, FSO, swisstopo. https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/establishments-in-health-and-social-services/

## Variants

The map has 9 variants. Levels: variant → spatial unit → time. The `u` value of a variant selects it in the links below.

- Establishments
  - Cantons
    - 2011: `u=ARIAAwDV`
    - 2014: `u=AmcAAwDV`
    - 2017: `u=AtYAAwDV` (default)
  - Communes
    - 2011: `u=ARIABQDV`
    - 2014: `u=AmcABQDV`
    - 2017: `u=AtYABQDV`
  - Labour market areas 2018
    - 2011: `u=ARIA6gDV`
    - 2014: `u=AmcA6gDV`
    - 2017: `u=AtYA6gDV`

## Links

Replace `{u}` with the `u` value of a variant above, or leave out `u={u}` for the default variant. The map opens at its full extent; a link cannot set the map position.

- Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/establishments-in-health-and-social-services/?u={u}
- Short link, stays valid when the title changes: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/t/839/?u={u}
- Side by side with another map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/comparison/?lt=839&lu={u}&rt={id of the other map}&ru={u of the other map, or leave out}

Embed in another website (allowed by the terms of use, as long as the source references stay visible):

```html
<iframe src="https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/embed/?id=839&u={u}&dm=e&ig=1" style="border:0;width:100%;height:600px;max-width:100%;" loading="lazy" title="Thematic map 'Human health and social work activities: establishments' in the Atlas of Switzerland" allowfullscreen sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups" allow="geolocation" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"></iframe>
```

In the embed URL, `dm` sets what is shown: `e` the map with its title bar (default), `p` also the values of an object clicked on the map, `m` only the map with a button that opens it in the atlas. `ig=1` (default) lets the map react to scrolling and dragging only after a click into it, `ig=0` right away. The size can be changed in `style`.

## Related maps

- [Jobs in the health system (1995–2008)](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/jobs-in-the-health-system-19952008.md) (id 754, former edition, desktop atlas only)
- [Establishments in the health system (1995–2008)](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/establishments-in-the-health-system-19952008.md) (id 757, former edition, desktop atlas only)
- [Locations of the hospitals](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/locations-of-the-hospitals.md) (id 847, former edition, desktop atlas only)

For the use and citation of maps and data, see the [terms of use](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/terms-of-use/).
