Start > postoperative infection rates
Are hospital infections preventable?
Hospital infections are common. They are caused by germs that patients come into contact with during a hospital stay, partly because of a lack of hygiene. Although hospital infections cannot be fully prevented, their frequency can be reduced by systematic measures in the hospital.
It is estimated that in Switzerland 70'000 patients a year are affected. The infections delay the healing process, cause greater suffering for the patient and, in the worst case, even death.
Postoperative wound infections affect the skin and underlying tissue at the site of surgery. Since 2010, the Swissnoso association has been recording hospital infections after select operations and comparing them amongst clinics. For the following operations, meaningful results (infection rates) are available for Swiss hospitals:
Infection rates are not equal everywhere:
The Canton of Basel - City scores best, followed by the Canton of Ticino. The Canton of Valais brings up the rear.
Some differences also exist between individual Swiss hospitals / clinics. An example:
The Clinique Générale-Beaulieu, Genève has an infection rate of 0% for «caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) » (compared to the Swiss average of 2.2% for this procedure).
Another very good result:
The Berit Klinik, Speicher has an infection rate of 0.3% for «hip replacement (artificial hip joint) » (Swiss average 1.2%).
It pays off to be informed
Depending on the procedure, different hospitals / clinics achieve low infection rates. Our hospital comparison informs you about the differences and shows you the best hospitals in terms of procedures and infection rates.
Large hospitals are not necessarily the best
The infection rates measured do not correlate very strongly with the number of cases in a hospital for a particular procedure. Choosing a large hospital is therefore no guarantee for a low risk of infection.
Infection rates by case numbers per hospital & surgery, Data origin: ANQ , Measurement year: 2021, Pres. Hospital Comparison Switzerland
Infection rates by case numbers per hospital & surgery
Data origin: ANQ , year: 2021, Pres. Hospital Comparison Switzerland
Hospital Comparison Switzerland
standardised infection rate
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Number of cases per intervention and hospital
Les Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève HUG (groupe): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in rectum surgery Lindenhofspital (Lindenhof AG): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in rectum surgery Inselspital Bern (Teil der Insel Gruppe): significant higher (worse) infection rate in rectum surgery CHUV Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (site de Lausanne / Bugnon): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in rectum surgery St. Claraspital: slightly lower (better) infection rate in rectum surgery UniversitätsSpital Zürich (USZ): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in heart valve replacement CHUV Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (site de Lausanne / Bugnon): slightly lower (better) infection rate in heart valve replacement Stadtspital Triemli: slightly lower (better) infection rate in heart valve replacement Inselspital Bern (Teil der Insel Gruppe): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in heart valve replacement Stadtspital Waid: significant higher (worse) infection rate in gall bladder resection (cholecystectomy) Universitätsspital Basel (USB): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in gall bladder resection (cholecystectomy) Bürgerspital Solothurn (Solothurner Spitäler AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in gall bladder resection (cholecystectomy) Kantonsspital Baselland (Standort Liestal): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in gall bladder resection (cholecystectomy) Kantonsspital Baden (Kantonsspital Baden AG): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in gall bladder resection (cholecystectomy) Kantonsspital Winterthur: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in gall bladder resection (cholecystectomy) Spital Interlaken (Spitäler FMI AG): significant higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Schwyz: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Kantonsspital Nidwalden: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Wil (Spitalregion Fürstenland Toggenburg): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery EOC Ente ospedaliero cantonale (Ospedale di Bellinzona): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Tiefenau (Teil der Insel Gruppe): significant higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Uster: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Langenthal (SRO Spital Region Oberaargau AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Clinique Générale-Beaulieu: highly significant lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Kantonsspital Aarau: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Zollikerberg: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery EOC Ente ospedaliero cantonale (Ospedale di Mendrisio): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Groupement Hospitalier de l`Ouest Lémanique - GHOL (groupe): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Männedorf: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Hôpital de La Tour: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Limmattal: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Burgdorf (Regionalspital Emmental AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery GZO Spital Wetzikon: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Hôpital du Jura (Site de Delémont): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Kantonsspital Schaffhausen (Spitäler Schaffhausen): highly significant higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Rheinfelden (Gesundheitszentrum Fricktal): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Etablissements Hospitaliers du Nord Vaudois - eHnv (site Hôpital d'Yverdon-les-Bains): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Hôpital Riviera-Chablais, Vaud Valais - HRC (Site de Rennaz): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery EHC Ensemble hospitalier de la Côte (Site de Hôpital de Morges): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Sursee (Luzerner Kantonsspital): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Clinique de La Source: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Klinik Beau-Site (Hirslanden Bern AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Olten (Solothurner Spitäler AG): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Stadtspital Waid: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Spitalzentrum Biel: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Zuger Kantonsspital: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Klinik Hirslanden Zürich: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Bülach: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Kantonsspital Graubünden: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Grabs (Spitalregion Rheintal Werdenberg Sarganserland): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Universitätsspital Basel (USB): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Luzerner Kantonsspital, LUKS (Standort Kantonsspital Luzern): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Hirslanden Klinik Aarau: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Kantonsspital Frauenfeld (Spital Thurgau AG): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Kantonsspital Münsterlingen (Spital Thurgau AG): significant higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery HFR - Hôpital fribourgeois (Site Hôpital de Fribourg): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Clinica Luganese SA Sede Moncucco: highly significant lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Réseau Hospitalier Neuchâtelois RHNe (groupe): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Spital Thun (Spital Thun-Simmental-Saanenland AG): highly significant lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery UniversitätsSpital Zürich (USZ): highly significant higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Kantonsspital Baden (Kantonsspital Baden AG): significant higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Kantonsspital Baselland (Standort Liestal): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Bürgerspital Solothurn (Solothurner Spitäler AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Les Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève HUG (groupe): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery CHUV Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (site de Lausanne / Bugnon): highly significant higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Inselspital Bern (Teil der Insel Gruppe): highly significant higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Stadtspital Triemli: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Kantonsspital Winterthur: highly significant lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Lindenhofspital (Lindenhof AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery St. Claraspital: slightly lower (better) infection rate in colon surgery Kantonsspital St. Gallen (Standort St. Gallen): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in colon surgery Hôpital du Jura (Site de Delémont): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) Spital Grabs (Spitalregion Rheintal Werdenberg Sarganserland): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) Spitalzentrum Biel: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) Clinique Générale-Beaulieu: slightly lower (better) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) Clinica Sant'Anna, SMN: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) GZO Spital Wetzikon: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) AndreasKlinik - Hirslanden: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) Zuger Kantonsspital: slightly lower (better) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) EHC Ensemble hospitalier de la Côte (Site de Hôpital de Morges): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) Bethesda Spital: highly significant lower (better) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) Hôpital Riviera-Chablais, Vaud Valais - HRC (Site de Rennaz): slightly lower (better) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) Kantonsspital Winterthur: significant higher (worse) infection rate in caesarean section (C-section, childbirth) Hôpital du Valais - Centre hospitalier du centre du Valais - CHCVs (groupe): significant higher (worse) infection rate in heart surgery (all interventions) Les Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève HUG (groupe): slightly lower (better) infection rate in heart surgery (all interventions) Herz-Neuro-Zentrum Bodensee: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in heart surgery (all interventions) Luzerner Kantonsspital, LUKS (Standort Kantonsspital Luzern): slightly lower (better) infection rate in heart surgery (all interventions) Cardiocentro Ticino (CCT): slightly lower (better) infection rate in heart surgery (all interventions) CHUV Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (site de Lausanne / Bugnon): slightly lower (better) infection rate in heart surgery (all interventions) Universitätsspital Basel (USB): slightly lower (better) infection rate in heart surgery (all interventions) UniversitätsSpital Zürich (USZ): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in heart surgery (all interventions) Stadtspital Triemli: highly significant lower (better) infection rate in heart surgery (all interventions) Inselspital Bern (Teil der Insel Gruppe): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in heart surgery (all interventions) Luzerner Kantonsspital, LUKS (Standort Kantonsspital Luzern): slightly lower (better) infection rate in bypass surgery (heart) Les Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève HUG (groupe): slightly lower (better) infection rate in bypass surgery (heart) Cardiocentro Ticino (CCT): slightly lower (better) infection rate in bypass surgery (heart) CHUV Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (site de Lausanne / Bugnon): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in bypass surgery (heart) Herz-Neuro-Zentrum Bodensee: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in bypass surgery (heart) Universitätsspital Basel (USB): slightly lower (better) infection rate in bypass surgery (heart) Stadtspital Triemli: slightly lower (better) infection rate in bypass surgery (heart) UniversitätsSpital Zürich (USZ): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in bypass surgery (heart) Inselspital Bern (Teil der Insel Gruppe): significant higher (worse) infection rate in bypass surgery (heart) Spital Zofingen: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Spital Olten (Solothurner Spitäler AG): significant higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Kantonsspital St. Gallen (Standort St. Gallen): significant higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Hôpital de la Providence, SMN Neuchâtel: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Klinik Gut AG (Standort Fläsch): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Clinique de Valère, SMN: highly significant higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Hirslanden Klinik Aarau: significant higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Clinique CIC Montreux: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Universitätsklinik Balgrist: slightly lower (better) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Berit Klinik: slightly lower (better) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Hirslanden Klinik Birshof: slightly lower (better) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Clinique Générale Ste-Anne, SMN: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Sonnenhofspital (Lindenhof AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Merian Iselin Klinik: slightly higher (worse) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Schulthess Klinik: slightly lower (better) infection rate in hip replacement (artificial hip joint) Hôpital de la Providence, SMN Neuchâtel: highly significant higher (worse) infection rate in knee replacement (artificial knee joint) Clinique Générale Ste-Anne, SMN: significant higher (worse) infection rate in knee replacement (artificial knee joint) Hirslanden Klinik Birshof: slightly lower (better) infection rate in knee replacement (artificial knee joint) Sonnenhofspital (Lindenhof AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in knee replacement (artificial knee joint) Schulthess Klinik: slightly lower (better) infection rate in knee replacement (artificial knee joint) Merian Iselin Klinik: slightly lower (better) infection rate in knee replacement (artificial knee joint) Etablissements Hospitaliers du Nord Vaudois - eHnv (site Hôpital d'Yverdon-les-Bains): slightly higher (worse) infection rate in hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) Salem-Spital (Hirslanden Bern AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) CHUV Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (site de Lausanne / Bugnon): slightly lower (better) infection rate in hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) Spital Rheinfelden (Gesundheitszentrum Fricktal): slightly lower (better) infection rate in hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) Spital Thun (Spital Thun-Simmental-Saanenland AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) Engeriedspital (Lindenhof AG): slightly lower (better) infection rate in hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) Bethesda Spital: highly significant lower (better) infection rate in hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) Inselspital Bern (Teil der Insel Gruppe): highly significant higher (worse) infection rate in hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
Significantly higher infection rates partially also at university hospitals
Significantly higher infection rates were also registered in 6 procedures at university hospitals:
Thorough methodology
The measurements carried out by the Swissnoso association are characterised by a careful and elaborate methodology. Patients are interviewed by specially trained staff at several points in time - even after leaving the hospital. In this way a differentiated risk adjustment is realised. Swissnoso also regularly audits the recording process.
Please note that infection rates of different procedures cannot be directly compared. An example: Much higher infection rates are regularly observed in colon surgery than in orthopaedic operations (e.g. hip prosthesis operations ).
Please note: Despite great care, methodological deficiencies may lead to distortions and uncertainties. Please bear in mind in particular that small differences are likely to be random. Similarly, infection rates are only one aspect of the overall quality of a hospital. Generalisations can lead to misjudgements.
Please also read our explanations on methodology as well as further information and methodological notes from Swissnoso and the ANQ association .
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