Results from the Swiss Cohort of Healthcare Professionals: Intention to stay and well-being

Abstract Background In the context of personnel shortages and high turnover rates in the healthcare sector, the Swiss COhort of Healthcare Professionals and Informal CAregivers (SCOHPICA) seeks to understand which factors act as determinants of professionals’ intent to stay in their profession and well-being, and to monitor their trajectories. Methods This cross-sectional study used baseline data from a prospective open cohort including any type of healthcare professionals practicing in Switzerland. They were invited to complete an online questionnaire measuring their intent to stay in their profession and well-being, several determinants of these, sociodemographic and socioprofessional characteristics, and they were able provide open comments. Standard statistical and thematic analyses were performed where appropriate. Results 5927 participants completed the 2022 (n = 1707) or 2023 (n = 4220) questionnaire, and 1811 left open comments. Preliminary results revealed that the main determinants of intention to stay and well-being were work-life balance, opportunities for development, and meaning of work. Moreover, nine sub-themes were identified in open comments, grouped under three main themes: 1) working hours and private life; 2) working conditions, relating to administrative work, salary, health and staffing issues, participants with a low intent to stay being overrepresented in the last two; 3) career paths, exploring employer changes or training recongnition. Conclusions Finding a balance between constraints inherent to the healthcare professions and professionals’ social life as well as reintroducing sense at work are key aspects that policymakers should take into account to brake turnover, retain healthcare professionals and make health professions attractive again. Key messages • Work-life balance, opportunities for development, and meaning of work appeared to be reasons to stay in healthcare professions. • People thinking of leaving commented on staffing and their own health.