Highly specialised medicine: concentration process continues

26 août 2022 – The cantons are obliged to jointly undertake nationwide planning in highly specialised medicine (Hochspezialisierte Medizin, HSM). Highly specialised medicine concerns the field of rare, complex, and expensive interventions and therapies. To this end, they joined the Intercantonal Agreement on Highly Specialised Medicine (Interkantonale Vereinbarung über die hochspezialisierte Medizin, IVHSM) of 14 March 2008. If the cantons do not fulfil the planning obligation in a timely manner, the Federal Council determines which hospitals are included on the cantonal hospital lists and for which services. The second update of the report on HSM planning shows that the process of concentrating HSM services is developing positively. The cantons are mobilising the necessary resources and competencies for planning in accordance with the law. The Federal Council sees no reason to make use of its subsidiary competence in this area.

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