Zurich Doctor Dies Before Retirement Amid Concerns Over Excessive Workload

A doctor at Zurich University Hospital (USZ) died in 2021 after years of working under conditions that raised concerns among colleagues and family, according to a report by the “Tages-Anzeiger.” Despite accumulating enough vacation time for a 18-month leave, the doctor, identified as Urs S., largely forewent time off, and attempts to reduce his workload were unsuccessful.

Years of Excessive Workload

Urs S. Hadn’t taken any vacation for 17 years and had accrued 380 days of unused vacation time. Instead of mandating time off, an agreement was reached to cancel 350 of those days. In 2018, he experienced a collapse and required a year of medical care, but the USZ denied a connection between his illness and his work habits .

Attempts to Intervene

Five months after the vacation day cancellation, senior doctors requested the clinic director relieve Urs S. Of certain duties, such as an additional emergency phone line he was expected to cover. While some adjustments were made, the doctor resisted other attempts to reduce his workload, including requests to grab weekends and vacations. Family members also reportedly tried to persuade him to reduce his hours, but were unsuccessful .

Legal Dispute and Investigation

In April 2021, Urs S. Died as a result of a stroke. Prior to his death, he was involved in a legal dispute with the USZ, which sought to dismiss him due to his inability to work. He was just 50 days away from retirement .

Following his death, the Zurich public prosecutor’s office launched a criminal investigation into his superior for negligent homicide. Although, the investigation was later closed .

Swiss Labor Law and Employer Obligations

Swiss labor law mandates that employers take all necessary and appropriate measures to protect the health of their employees. This includes designing work processes to minimize health risks and excessive strain, including stress. Employees are limited to a maximum of 50 hours per week, with a potential extension of up to four hours, provided the average weekly working time does not exceed 50 hours annually. Both employers and employees share a responsibility for protecting employee health .

Related Research

Research by Urs Schwarz at the University of Zurich focused on delirium prevalence and outcomes in acute care patients . Urs Jacob Muehlematter, a radiologist and nuclear medicine physician at the University Hospital of Zurich, has published extensively on topics including oncologic imaging and machine learning .