[Is there a role for infectious disease specialists in private practice?]

For the last 20 years infectious diseases have gained increasing importance for hospital medicine. As a specialty, infectious diseases have been recognized only recently by the Swiss medical association. However, the precise role of infectious disease specialist operating in private practice remain to be defined. The medical community faces many challenges for which infectious disease specialist must provide answers. Knowledge in microbiology has progressed enormously and many very sophisticated and, partly, expensive diagnostic techniques are widely available. New treatment options are introduced while numerous microbial species demonstrate increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents. The intervention of infectious disease specialist could thus contribute to optimize treatment and limit the use of economic resources. Infectious disease specialist in private practice are also facing new activities such as parenteral outpatient treatment for severe infections and HIV infection, which clearly require a specialized professional approach. Infectious disease specialist in private practice will need great care to find a responsible equilibrium between clinical consultation and telephone consultation.