Medicine often claims to put «the patient at the centre». Certainly, thanks to empowerment and shared decision-making processes, patients now have more say in their care. However, as regards the way in which medicine is organised or defines its goals and priorities, patients’ voices are scarcely heard. For the SAMS, this is a matter of concern.
The SAMS is involved in various ways: supporting the establishment of patient organizations, collaborating with existing organizations, organizing events and publishing publications on the topic.
Swiss PPIE Network
Founded in 2025, the Swiss PPIE Network is committed to promoting patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) and thereby aims to promote and systematically anchor the participation and influence of patients, relatives and representatives of the population in healthcare, research, teaching and health policy. Through their more active role, they can exert influence to improve the relevance and quality of services, products, and projects in the healthcare sector. The network will also provide better support for existing projects and new initiatives. The founding members include individual patient representatives and interested citizens, and institutional members – including the SAMS.
pro-salute.ch
The SAMS considers one of its key roles to bring together various partners in the health system and support them in implementing their projects – partners with different backgrounds but shared interests. On 30 June 2020, this led to the creation of the association pro-salute.ch.
pro-salute.ch aims to position itself as an interlocutor within the health system and to serve as a strong voice towards political authorities, service providers, and insurers. In addition to exchanging ideas and thoughts, the focus is on coordinating joint health policy activities and introducing instruments that ensure transparency and comparability across the health system.
In 2019, Susanne Hochuli (President of the Swiss Patient Organisation) discussed in an article published in the SAMS Bulletin why patients need to join forces with people in good health.
Read the article in German or in French
pro-salute.ch in German or in French
Conference on «Patients’ power»
The influence exerted by patients within the health system was the subject of a conference organised by the SAMS and the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences in October 2019. The «Patients’ power» event explored – from a medical humanities perspective – the numerous ambivalences associated with the ongoing changes in the relationship between patients and physicians.
Further information on the «Patients’ power» conference in German and in French
Patient engagement
In 2016, Careum was commissioned by the SAMS to assess the growing importance attached by society to the involvement of patients, relatives, policyholders and citizens in health-related decisions. The report highlights various aspects of patient engagement, including, in particular, choice of service provider, membership of patient associations and user satisfaction surveys. This report led to the inclusion of patients in a number of SAMS working groups.
Download the publication in German
Health literacy
For some years, health literacy has become increasingly important. In Switzerland, as elsewhere, many people have difficulty in finding their way around the health system, understanding their doctor, or recognising their symptoms. This is all the more serious as health is now generally regarded as a central component of life. In 2015, the SAMS published a report designed for the general public, authored by people for whom the topic of health literacy is of central importance. The publication is addressed to everyone who believes that health involves more than combating disease and who is interested in how health is related to social, educational, political and economic factors.
Download the publication in German and French
Since 2020, the SAMS has been a member of the Allianz Gesundheitskompetenz (Alliance for Health Literacy). The Alliance serves as a platform that connects stakeholders from the health sector, science, education, politics, business, and the media to promote health literacy in Switzerland. It provides socio-political impulses, develops strategic concepts for promoting health literacy, and supports the implementation of concrete projects with partners both within and outside the Alliance.
Patient safety
Patient safety is a vital issue in our increasingly complex health systems. In a report published in 2007, the SAMS first drew attention to the importance of including this topic in under- and postgraduate medical education. Among other things, it recommends training in patient safety for all health professionals, together with a change in error culture. For many years, the SAMS has supported the Swiss Patient Safety Foundation, of which it is a founding member.
Download the publication in German or in French
Swiss Patient Safety Foundation