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Geneva and Lausanne, Switzerland (Le Temps, Fre) – Reports that paying for a private room for non-urgent surgery reduces the waiting time before the operation is scheduled appear to be unfounded.

Le Temps, in interview with the head of surgery at the university hospitals in Geneva (HUG) and Vaud (CHUV) was told that the current long delays, from three months to a year for hip joint replacements, for example, are due to a shortage of operating rooms and surgeons – and that paying more doesn’t move a patient to the head of the line. In 2005 the CHUV (university hospitals) in Lausanne put in place a system that allows patients to choose their doctor and simply pay more if they want a private room, but given the cost difference the CHUV discourages patients: hip replacements are covered to the tune of CHF14,600 by insurance companies and, with no complications, the cost in a private room is CHF40,000 reports Marie-Christine Petit-Pierre.

The HUG told the newspaper that its long waits for scheduling surgery will be reduced to about three months starting in October, as operating room congestion is reduced thanks to new space.