University Center for Geriatric Medicine to be established in Zurich

The University Hospital Zurich (USZ), Triemli municipal hospital (Stadtspital Zürich; STZ) and the University of Zurich (UZH) are strengthening their tight-knit partnership in the area of geriatric care by establishing the joint University Center for Geriatric Medicine, which will open its doors to the public from January 1, 2024. The center is to be based at the Stadtspital Waid in Zurich.

According to a press release jointly issued by the three institutions, this new center aims to bring together academic research and teaching with clinical care in the field of geriatric medicine, thereby further developing this treatment focus at the Zurich-based clinic Stadtspital Waid. This ensures the “long-term stability” of a “future-proof location” for geriatric patients, enabling the range of services to be further improved and efficiency gains to be generated.

As part of the joint strategy for geriatric medicine pursued by the three institutions, Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Heike Bischoff-Ferrari will be responsible for academic management. As Professor of Geriatrics and Aging Research at UZH, she will also coordinate cantonal collaboration with ProSenectute and the World Health Organization (WHO) with the aim of ensuring long, healthy lives as part of the WHO Integrated care for older people (ICOPE) program. In addition, from 2024, Bischoff-Ferrari will take on an international role as director of IHU HealthAge, a Healthy Longevity and Geroscience research program in France, and develop a research bridge between UZH, the University of Toulouse and Toulouse University Hospital.

Dr. med. Berta Truttmann, geriatric doctor and deputy senior consultant at Stadtspital Waid in Zurich, will assume management responsibility for the Clinic for Geriatric Medicine within the University Center for Geriatric Medicine as of January 1, 2024. Moving forward, she will head up the clinic in the role of senior consultant. ce/mm