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Patients standing in front of closed doors and a debt enforcement office that had to manage hundreds of patient files on short notice: The sudden closure of seven general practitioners’ offices in Aargau made headlines in the neighboring canton last week.
The practices in question belonged to the “MeinArzt” chain. This had gotten into financial trouble, the founder of the chain was arrested on suspicion of crimes against property. It is not yet clear if and when practices will reopen.
There are also two general practitioners’ offices in Solothurn that belong to the “MeinArzt” chain. One of them in Günsberg, the other in Oensingen. Günsberg’s is still open for the moment, as shown by a call in practice. How long this case will stay open; one does not know exactly how it will continue, according to the information. The practice in Oensingen was not available until the editorial deadline, an answering machine indicates current opening hours.
The cantonal health department has yet to receive any indication of an imminent closure: “For our part, there is currently no evidence that these practices are closed,” writes Heinrich Schwarz, head of the health department.
Investors as a Last Resort for General Practitioners
Lukas Meier, for his part, is convinced that the two practices in the canton should be closed at least temporarily. The retired surgeon is co-president of the Solothurn Canton Medical Society. He has dealt intensively with non-medical investor practices and is not convinced of his concept.
Chains like “MeinArzt” work in such a way that an investor buys a doctor’s office plus the entire inventory. Mainly from general practitioners who are about to retire and cannot find a successor for their practice. Investors then hire a doctor to work for them in their practice. In order to continue operating a practice after it has left the chain, physicians would have to purchase the inventory and the practice. Something that very few can afford.
Doctors have to generate high sales
Meier fears that, after “MeinArzt”, other networks could also get into trouble in the future. The reason for their fears is the high turnover that doctors have to generate in such an employment relationship.
“These investors are mostly not from the medical sector and demand high sales from the practices. Employees are under incredible pressure, ”says Meier. Often, it is not possible to generate the necessary profits.
This is demonstrated, among other things, by the fact that many doctors in such employment relationships resign after a short period of time, and that foreign doctors in particular are recruited. “Swiss doctors don’t even accept these terms of employment,” Meier says.
“Desperate” situation for family doctors
These prefer to join in group practices. According to Meier, the fact that investor chains such as “MeinArzt” can even take over internships in Switzerland is often due to the “desperate” situation of family doctors in Switzerland. Despite a long search, many fail to find a successor for their practice. As a final solution, they trust an investor who promises to hand over the practice to a professional colleague, ”Meier sums up.
An example of this is the practice in Günsberg, whose future is currently uncertain. For 35 years it belonged to the retired family doctor Reto Dicht. For four years he was searching for a successor to his practice, placing advertisements and calling practice agencies, as he told this newspaper last year. However, no one answered and finally the “MeinArzt” chain took over the practice.
For the community, the loss of medical practice in the village would be painful, says Mayor Rolf Sterki. “We would be very sorry if this was closed,” Sterki said. “We would also like to support the practice and help organize an estate solution. But that seems very difficult.
