General Information  

Quality Controlling

In the context of the 2023 cantonal hospital planning, the Gesundheitsdirektion defined the quality standards for hospitals with a service agreement, including a minimum number of cases and participation in the cantonal quality programmes.

The Gesundheitsdirektion regularly audits the hospitals to ensure the compliance with the standards. The canton thereby guarantees continuity in the quality of care.

Quality Programmes

Goals

The primary goals of the quality programmes are:

Advantages:

• Advancing Quality Development
• Ensuring a High Quality of Care in the Canton of Zürich

Structure

Zurich’s quality programmes are based on two pillars

• Analyses of quality

The Amt für Gesundheit develops quality analyses in close cooperation with expert groups, professional associations and hospitals. Wherever possible, existing routine data is used. If need be, the data can be supplemented with additional (i.e. clinical) parameters on an individual case basis. The compiled risk adjusted models for specific quality indicators are externally tested for plausibility and scientifically supported to provide a reliable comparison between hospitals.

The administrative burden of hospitals can gradually be reduced through the usage of existing data.

• Quality Circles

A quality circle for each quality programme is held annually. At these circles, every hospital with their respective clinic management (medical representative) is represented. The developed quality analyses are transparently presented, jointly further developed and anomalies are discussed. Its goal is to provide an open platform for discussions about quality and, thus, encourage collective learning and the continuing improvement of quality. The presence of hospitals with service agreements in the Canton of Zurich is mandatory and represents essentially the only effort in participating in the quality programmes.

Current and Planned Quality Programmes

Quality Programmes in Development (as of 2026):

1. Cardiac Surgery
2. Vascular Surgery
3. Abdominal Surgery (Colon)
4. Orthopaedics (Knee and Hip Replacements)
5. Urology (Prostatectomy)
6. Breast Cancer (GYN2)
7. Spinal Surgery
8. Cardiology (Starting in 2026)

Planned quality programmes (2027): Births

Schedule of the Quality Programmes

The following graphic depicts the development quality programmes. 

Developing quality indicators that allow for fair and robust comparisons between hospitals is a challenging process that takes several years. Indicators for process and outcome quality are developed in a first step. In a second step, indicators for appropriateness of care, as well as long term quality of outcome (treatment success after several years) are developed.

Advisory Board 

The advisory board supports the strategic direction and further development of the quality programmes. A diverse advisory board is crucial for the success and effectiveness of the quality programmes. Thus, experts and stakeholders from different sectors are involved: Science, Service Providers, Cantons, Doctors, Patients, Health Insurances, Finance, Ethics.

Science & Research

• Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Nikola Biller-Andorno, Director of the Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine (IBME), University of Zurich

• Prof. Dr. med. Paolo Ferrari, Università della Svizzera Italiana

• Reto Jörg, Scientific Project Manager, Obsan

• Dr. Marie-Annick Le Pogam, Department of Epidemiology and Health Systems (DESS), Unisanté

• Dr. Florian Liberatore, Co-Head of the Specialized Service Corporate Health Management, Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften (ZHAW)

• Prof. Dr. med. Christoph A. Meier, Université de Genève

• Prof. Dr. Milo Puhan, Director of the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich

• Prof. Dr. med. PhD Thomas Rosemann, Director of the Institute of Primary Care (IHAMZ), University of Zurich

• Prof. Dr. MPH David Schwappach, Head of Research Group Patient Safety in Health Services, Institute of Social and Preventative Medicine (ISPM), University of Berne

Service Providers

• Dr. André Baumgart, Head of Quality, Digitalisation, Information and Patient Security, Verband Zürcher Krankenhäuser (VZK)

• Dr. med. Ute Buschmann Truffer, Hospital Director Spital Limmattal

• Dr. med. Rudolf M. Moos, Deputy Director and Head of Medical Systems, Klinik Hirslanden

Other Representatives 

• Prof. Dr. med. Michele Genoni, President FMCH (medical representative)

• Prof. Dr. med. MPH Eva Blozik, Head of Health Services Research, SWICA (insurance representative)

• Prof. Dr. med. Karin Fattinger, Board of Directors Patientenstelle Zürich (patient representative)

• Roland Unternährer Appenzeller, Head of Hospital Planning Acute Care and Psychiatry, Canton of St. Gallen (cantonal representative)

Detailed information about the structure and content of the quality programmes can be found in the following concept.