[Health personnel in Switzerland: concept, sources and results]

Data concerning health manpower are recorded, in Switzerland, at different levels and in connection with various applications: at the national level, on the occasion of the Federal Census of Population; at the cantonal level, from the cantonal health authorities, which are recording data in connection with professional licences. Both of these main surveys are complementary, because the Federal Census is decennial, whereas cantonal data are continuously recorded. The present article makes by the way of examples some suggestions about how to use the professional data, describes a method for an interpretation of cantonal data and comments results at the national level. Health manpower constitutes a most important part of healths statistics. For instance many questions about controlling health costs and health planning cannot be treated without extensive knowledge of the structure and the development of the medical and paramedical professions.