 The call to a national demonstration of the white blouses was heard: 10'000 physicians surged Saturday afternoon on the Federal Place in Bern.
The medicine of first recourse, guaranteed of quality care, economic and durable is threatened with death, if the present trend to the shortage continues, warned the participants.
"Threatened with death" or "when our own grounding", it could be read on the innumerable streamers. The physicians general practitioners complained about the shortage that threatens their profession. A lot of the demonstrators wore their white blouse.
The physicians ask for better conditions of employment, more of audience to the political level, as well as an academic formation and in appropriated cabinet.
More than 300'000 signatures
The signatures to the petition "against the slowdown of family medicine and the threat of a shortage of physicians" have been brought to the federal Palace on stretchers. A few 301'000 patients initialed this catalog of demands.
"This is not today an April fool", declared Hansueli Späth, chairman of the Swiss Society of General Medicine. "One cannot ignore 300'000 signatures", he added. "I am in anger, in anger against the politicians, the authorities, the health insurers and the tariff partners", underlined Margot Enz, member of the committee of the Swiss Society of general medicine. "They claim ever sustaining family physicians and as soon as emerge the problems, they drop us", she raised.
No positive evaluation
For the Berner State councilwoman Simonetta Sommaruga (PS), the concerns of family physicians are justified. However she invited them in her speech to take more initiative: the model of the lonely poor physician in his/her cabinet is dead. It is necessary to evolve to new forms of organization like offices in team or health networks. "We are unhappy with the way in which our work is not valued in a positive manner", added Beatific Rössler, vice chairman of the SSGM.
Preventing physician's death
The general practitioners don't make spectacular statements, that can make print on broadcast TV. Toward the end of the demonstration, that lasted 14h00 to16h00, Hansueli Späth appeared more incisive: "We will prevent the death of family physicians while occupying the Federal Place. This demonstration is only a beginning - think of it!".
Savings of Pascal Couchepin
The decisions made by Federal Council last November played an important role in the organization of this demonstration. Federal Concilor Pascal Couchepin had presented different measures supposed to save at least 86 millions of Swiss francs per year, among which two third while reducing the tariffs of laboratory. The measure affects the general practitioners who undertake some analyses in their own cabinet. Family physicians now estimate that their future is threatened. Considering the 60 to 80 working hours a week, th work at night and the emergency service, the profession is losing its appeal.
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