Increased cooperation in orthopaedics with Basel University Hospital

From 2020, elective and outpatient procedures will be performed at Bethesda Hospital, while traumatology, intensive care and emergency medicine will be concentrated at the USB. The increased collaboration between the two hospitals will improve high-quality, efficient and integrated orthopaedic care for Northwestern Switzerland.

Bethesda Hospital and the University Hospital Basel (USB) are intensifying their existing collaboration in orthopaedics. The two hospitals are thus aiming for a leading position in orthopaedics in north-west Switzerland. This will be made possible by an extremely efficient organisational solution that is attractive for healthcare and offers the highest quality. The addition of experienced and highly qualified orthopaedic specialists enables more efficient and qualitatively improved treatment of patients with musculoskeletal complaints. The co-operation is open to any other interested partners.

Clear division of tasks - continuous treatment chain

The cooperation will allow the two hospitals to separate different treatment paths: From 2020, elective (scheduled) and outpatient procedures will be performed at Bethesda Hospital, while traumatology, intensive care and emergency medicine will be concentrated at the USB. Patients will benefit on the one hand from the university research and state-of-the-art surgical methods at the USB and on the other hand from the personal atmosphere and high level of patient-orientation at Bethesda Hospital.

At the same time, patients can receive continuous treatment: "Our two hospitals realise an integrated treatment chain in the area of the musculoskeletal system - from emergency treatment to conservative and orthopaedic-surgical to rehabilitative treatment. This is a key feature of this forward-looking cooperation," emphasises Thomas Rudin, Director of Bethesda Hospital.

Synergies in research and training

"Through this close collaboration, we are strengthening Basel as a centre for more than just medical care," adds USB Hospital Director Werner Kübler. "Through this cooperation, we are increasing our attractiveness for international orthopaedic research. At the same time, we are focussing on quality of treatment, results (outcomes) and indication quality. We are thus contributing to the further development of transparency in quality and we are eliminating false incentives that focus on quantity rather than quality." Valuable synergies are also created in the area of university education and training. For example, extended programmes can be introduced for assistant doctors and professional exchange can be promoted in joint further training courses. This will make both partners more attractive on the labour market, which is an important competitive advantage in the current shortage of specialists.

Tried and tested remains

The overall medical management of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the USB and the management of the site at the USB is in the hands of Prof. Daniel Rikli, Deputy Head of Traumatology and Head of Orthopaedics & Traumatology ad interim at the USB from 1 August 2019; he will be supported by his deputy PD Dr Andreas Marc Müller. pD Dr Yves Acklin will become Medical Director at the Bethesda Hospital site. The place of work and activities will remain unchanged for almost all employees at the USB and Bethesda Hospital. The processes and procedures will now be adapted so that the University Orthopaedics Department at Bethesda Hospital can commence operations on 1 January 2020.

The medical management and the medical teams at the two locations

medical team at the USB site
Prof Daniel Rikli, Deputy Head of Traumatology and Head of Orthopaedics & Traumatology ad interim at the USB from 1 August 2019: "The division into two sites and the separation of treatment paths benefits our patients first and foremost. At the USB, for example, we can treat accident patients faster, better and more effectively."

Team leaders:

• PD Dr Henrik Eckardt (Lower Extremity Trauma)
• Prof Daniel Rikli (Trauma Upper Extremity)
• PD Dr Martin Clauss (Infection)
• Prof Norbert Suhm (Orthogeriatrics)
• Prof Werner Vach (Clinical Research)
• PD Dr Andreas Krieg, UKBB (Tumours)
  

medical team at the Bethesda site
PD Dr Yves Acklin, Medical Director at the Bethesda Hospital site: "There were three reasons why we approached the USB and Bethesda Hospital. Firstly, we feel connected to the Basel region and would like to contribute to further improving the quality of our orthopaedics. Secondly, our proximity to the university enables us to advance orthopaedic research and make new knowledge available. And thirdly, we can secure our professional future at the university and apply our medical expertise in an ambitious environment."

Team leaders:

• PD Dr Andreas Marc Müller (shoulder/elbow)
• Prof Karl Stoffel (hip/pelvis)
• PD Dr Nicola Krähenbühl (foot)
• PD Dr Yves Acklin and Dr Christian Egloff (knee / sports orthopaedics)

The University Orthopaedics Department at Bethesda Hospital in brief

• Project: The Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the University Hospital Basel is expanding its second site at Bethesda Hospital and restructuring its services. The two sites will be given a sharper profile: the range of elective and outpatient orthopaedics services will be expanded at Bethesda Hospital, while traumatology, intensive care and emergency medicine will be strengthened at the USB site.
  
• Start of operations: January 2020
  
• Offer: The Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the University Hospital Basel stands for highly innovative, specialised and modern medicine. Around 4,100 operations are performed each year at the University Hospital Basel and Bethesda Hospital sites. With around 40,000 outpatient treatments, the clinic is one of the largest orthopaedic traumatology specialist clinics in north-western Switzerland and the Basel tri-national area.
• Emergency, intensive care and traumatology at the University Hospital site
• Elective care at the Bethesda Hospital site.

The following joint and organ-related teams are planned:

• Shoulder/elbow
• Knee
• Sports orthopaedics
• Hip/pelvis
• Foot/ankle
  
• Equipment: Bethesda Hospital provides the necessary infrastructure (rooms, furniture, medication, consumables) as well as the human resources required for nursing, anaesthesia, rehabilitation and physiotherapy. The USB provides the entire medical staff (excluding anaesthetists) as well as the necessary administrative staff. Implants are also purchased via the USB.
  
• Management:
• Clinic for Orthopaedics and Traumatology: Prof Daniel Rikli, Chief Physician a.i.
• University Orthopaedics at Bethesda Hospital: PD. Dr Yves Acklin
  
• Further training: As part of the Clinic for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, the University Orthopaedics Department at Bethesda Hospital will achieve the highest standard of further training so that junior doctors will find the best possible conditions.
  
• Research: In order to utilise the potential of orthopaedics at Bethesda Hospital, a research department will be set up on site to conduct scientific research in close collaboration with the researchers working at the USB.