Continuum of care – the Compassana ecosystem

Sciana Members Marcel Napierala and Daniel Liedtke explain how discussions at Sciana led to a new venture to empower patients in Switzerland

It was a relief to sink into the expansive armchairs and sip a whiskey. After all the exciting but intense explanations about the UK’s National Health Service, we needed some time to sort out our thoughts. And so, the old library in Schloss Leopoldskron with its elegant leather armchairs became an extremely welcome retreat.

The Sciana Network meetings, which promote exchange between know-how carriers and talents from different countries in the health sector, took place every three months for two years. We knew each other before and had already debated a lot about customer and patient journeys in the health sector. However, one thing became clear from our discussions: we were often not of the same opinion. And this is exactly where the concept of the Sciana meetings came in.

We were not there to persuade as stakeholders wearing various hats. Rather, Sciana facilitated a value-free discourse in a kind of safe environment. And so, in this setting, outside of interesting group work - immersed in conversations and comfortable armchairs - an extremely exciting project emerged alongside a deepened friendship: the continuum of care.

A focus on co-operation

Hirslanden and Medbase are focusing on strong co-operation with the goal of integrated outpatient and inpatient medicine per care region. The Compassana initiative, which Medbase had already launched, was also integrated into this project and is being driven forward in a joint venture consisting of service providers, insurers, and technology partners.  

The starting point was that Switzerland has an extremely good medical care system with an enormous selection of service providers and health insurers. Three factors, in particular, distinguish the system: access, quality, and freedom of choice. But this is exactly where it fails: it is extremely difficult for patients to find their way through the jungle of the Swiss health system with all the offers when it becomes real.

So we gradually developed the idea of cooperation between various partners from the health sector to create a navigation aid for patients. However, it was clear to us that the UK’s National Health Service, which is state-imposed and managed, does not fit the culture of the federalistic organized Switzerland and would not find a majority.

Accordingly, Compassana is not about steering patients. Rather, Compassana supports patients in their orientation in the sense of a car navigation system and presents possible options, and shows sensible patient paths. Of course, similar to a car navigation system, whether the patient wants to follow this route is always left open.

Such an orientation aid creates huge added value for all parties involved, as it empowers patients for meaningful integrated health care and, for example, can thus avoid duplicate examinations. With this form of navigation aid, seamless information, and the inclusion of all stakeholders, including insurers, we are also creating a building block that can close an urgent gap in the Swiss healthcare system: the empowerment of patients.

Next steps

For optimal care and services, we need to learn from each other, first and foremost from the patient experience and the knowledge of service providers, insurers, technology partners, and regulators. We need open discussions and cooperation to produce real innovations and move the Swiss healthcare system forward.

We are very much looking forward to the future development of Compassana, and we are very grateful to Sciana for this setting of mutual appreciation and support.