Palliative care in a small medical clinic in Zurich, Switzerland

The first palliative unit in the region of Zurich was opened at the Bircher Klinik Susenberg in 1994. The 40-bed clinic specialises in internal medicine, geriatrics and rehabilitation and has given special importance to the holistic care of the patients since its foundation in 1939. In addition to symptom control and terminal care, rehabilitation was integrated into the concept of palliative care at an early stage. Most of the patients are referred from hospitals in or around Zurich, approximately 20% by the family physician. The mean age of palliative patients is around 69 years, and they stay an average of 27 days in the clinic. Close to 40% of them can return home, and the same percentage die during their stay in hospital; the rest are referred to homes for the elderly or nursing homes or to a central hospital.