On
November 1 2012, 63 years to the day after it first opened its doors, Saanen
hospital has closed its doors permanently.
The transfer from Saanen to Zweisimmen hospital began gradually in October. On October 22, the last patients were relocated to the Zweisimmen hospital by ambulance. The beds were stripped and rooms were left bare, save for moving boxes. The operation rooms were empty and the surveillance room has only two beds left, all the monitors and devices have been taken away.
The hospital phone number is now redirected to the hospital in Zweisimmen. First point of contact for the patients remains the GP and the Med Phone (Medical Emergency Service 0900 57 67 47). For emergencies, patients should dial 144.
Important note from municipality council
Aldo Kropf, President of municipality of Saanen, informed that the authorities of Saanenland had intensive discussions about various health care services. The aim of these discussions was to find a solution for emergency and basic medical health services for locals and visitors. The main focus was on two different concepts: firstly, offers from external service providers and secondly, a sustainable and innovative concept by the GPs of Saanenland. The external providers mainly offered private medical institutions on the premises of the hospital in Saanen. Apart from the uncertainty of such an option, such institutions could endanger the existence of the hospital Saanen. This is why the municipal council was convinced by the Saanenland GPs’ concept and has handed over the implementation to them. The municipal council is persuaded that the planned, coordinated and efficient cooperation of the GPs, the hospital in Zweisimmen, the rescue services of Spital STS AG and Air Glaciers Gstaad-Saanenland, will guarantee a qualitative and sustainable medical emergency and basic health service, and not endanger the operations of the hospital in Zweisimmen.