Two conferences, one common thread

On 18 June, the KHM/CMPR organised its ‘Colloque de formation continue’ in Lausanne, where hundreds of French-speaking GPs gathered for a day of scientific discussion, exchange and continuing professional development. One of the highlights was the presentation of the research prize to Jelena Dunaiceva for her work investigating whether Swiss GPs prescribe antibiotics in accordance with national guidelines. The short answer, as can be gleaned from the data she presented, is that there is certainly room for improvement.

Almost one in five prescriptions deviates from the guidelines, and for almost all indications, second-line antibiotics are prescribed more frequently than first-line ones.

On 25 and 26 June, the KHM Congress took place at the KKL in Lucerne. As befits Lucerne, the lake and the mountains provided a backdrop that made it well worth stepping outside during the breaks between sessions.

ASAP was represented at both events. Our task was simple: to ensure that the tools developed by our colleagues across the country are visible and accessible to the people who need them most. Ranging from the shared decision-making tools produced by the BIHAM Institute for Primary Care, which help GPs have honest discussions with their patients about what antibiotics can and cannot do, right through to the communication materials developed by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), which are available free of charge to any practice that wishes to have them.

These two events have once again highlighted to us why a local presence is so important. We have learnt first-hand from GPs about the pressure they are under, the expectations their patients place on them and how complex the situation is in the consultation room. This context shapes everything we do.