Switzerland Strengthens Health Care Quality with a New Convention
On May 22, 2024, the Federal Council approved a landmark quality convention between the H+ Association The Swiss Hospitals and the federations santésuisse and curafutura. This convention is the first of its kind following the revision of the Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG), aimed at improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare services.
The amendment to the KVG, effective April 1, 2021, introduces tools to promote quality development in health insurance. Quality agreements, which are mandatory for all federations of service providers and insurers, define binding rules to improve the quality of health care service throughout Switzerland.
The agreement, valid for three years, establishes concrete measures for quality development, including quality management in hospitals. These requirements promote transparency, efficiency and avoidance of duplicate performance, thereby increasing the effectiveness of treatment.
If the federations cannot agree on a convention, the Federal Council will set the rules, ensuring that all measures are uniform and binding. These agreements are based on the Federal Council's four-year goals to improve quality in mandatory health care insurance (AOMS).
