What is the difference in the ratio between doctors and inhabitants between Ticino and Como?

Ticino has stronger health coverage than the province of Como. In Ticino, there is one family doctor for every 900 inhabitants, for a total of about 390 professionals compared to 351 thousand residents. On the contrary, in the province of Como the ratio is one doctor for every 2,000 people, with less than 300 active doctors for a population of about 598 thousand inhabitants.

Why does Franco Denti ask for an ethical reflection on recruitment?

Franco Denti, president of the Order of Ticino Doctors, points out that the massive recruitment of doctors and nurses from Italy raises ethical questions. Although the choice of professionals is understandable for economic reasons, the risk is to take essential human resources away from regions that have invested in their training, structurally weakening their health systems. Denti suggests that, while respecting free movement, a limit should be evaluated to preserve the sustainability of neighboring health facilities.

How is Ticino dealing with the generational turnover of doctors?

The Canton focuses on academic training to ensure turnover, with the Faculty of Medicine of the Università della Svizzera italiana as the central pillar. The master's degree in family medicine currently registers full classes. This strategy is essential as many baby boomers approach retirement, making it necessary to form a local pool of talent to maintain continuity of care without relying exclusively on the foreign market.

Ticino, medical alarm: Teeth ask border crossers for limits

By Redazione Frontaliere Ticino (AI-generated text) · Published on 13 September 2026 · Updated on 8 October 2026

View of a medical center in Ticino with modern architecture

The president of the Order of Doctors of Ticino Franco Denti warns: Ticino has one doctor for every 900 inhabitants, at Como one for every 2,000. Ethical reflection is needed.

Context

In a nutshell

Ticino has one family doctor for every 900 inhabitants.
In the province of Como, the ratio is one doctor for every 2,000 people.
Franco Denti calls for an ethical reflection on the recruitment of health workers.
A strategy is needed to ensure attractiveness to the medical profession.

Key facts

What: Alarm shortage of doctors and border nurses.
Where: Ticino and the province of Como.
Who: Franco Denti, president of the Order of Doctors of Ticino.
Doctors' ratio Ticino: 1 per 900 inhabitants.
Como doctors' report: 1 per 2,000 inhabitants.
Number of Ticino family doctors: Approximately 390.

The president of the Order of Doctors of Ticino, Franco Denti, raised an important issue regarding the maintenance of the regional health system and its relationship with the neighboring Italian territory. The situation in Ticino, characterized by the presence of about 390 family doctors for 351 thousand inhabitants, offers a framework of health coverage that appears significantly more solid than what has been observed across borders. In the province of Como, in fact, the number of active family doctors is less than 300 units for a population of about 598 thousand people, resulting in a significant disparity in the relationship between professionals and citizens. This gap, reconstructed through the comparison data between the two sides of the border, highlights how Switzerland represents an attractive destination for many health professionals trained in Italy.

The Ethical Question

Operational details

The stability of the Ticino healthcare system is inextricably linked to the demographic challenges affecting the entire country. According to Franco Denti, generational turnover represents the next major test for local family medicine. Professionals from the baby boomer generation are nearing retirement age, and although there are no mandatory age limits for ending professional activity in Switzerland, turnover appears complex due to the smaller number of new medical graduates. The Canton is attempting to address this transition through targeted investments in academic training, particularly through the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at the Università della Svizzera italiana. The master's degree dedicated to family medicine, which reports full classes, is a positive sign of how the attractiveness of the study path is an essential pillar for ensuring continuity of care.

Strategies for professional attractiveness

The concern expressed regarding the situation in Como reflects a fear also widespread in the Swiss context: the decline in medical vocations, which has intensified in the post-pandemic period. To prevent staff shortages from becoming a structural obstacle to economic development and the cost of living in terms of service efficiency, it is necessary to implement strategies that make the medical and nursing professions competitive. This does not only mean looking at salary conditions, but also at social status and the quality of daily work. A healthcare system that fails to train or retain professionals risks having to constantly resort to temporary solutions, increasing pressure on public accounts and on the LAMal/KVG premiums paid by residents. The challenge for the Cantons, also closely monitored by federal offices, remains that of balancing dependence on the international labor market with the creation of a local talent pool capable of autonomously responding to the needs of an aging population. Ultimately, the stability of the system depends on the ability to transform training into a solid and lasting career opportunity, aligning the expectations of young doctors with the real needs of the territory, and preventing the reliance on foreign personnel from becoming the only possible response to the crisis of vocations.

Useful planning tools

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Key points

For healthcare professionals working in Switzerland or intending to pursue a career in the Canton, understanding market dynamics is essential. The Swiss system, based on a solid salary structure that reflects the high cost of living and the high level of specialization required, necessitates careful planning, especially for those evaluating a life path between Italy and Switzerland. Doctors and nurses wishing to work in Swiss territory must deal with requirements for the recognition of academic qualifications and with cantonal regulations governing the practice of the profession. It is essential to constantly check open positions at healthcare companies and hiring companies for qualified personnel, monitoring professional growth opportunities offered by the hospital network and private practices. Career management in Switzerland also involves proper pension planning, which includes the second pillar LPP/BVG and potential tax optimization, aspects that every professional should delve into to protect their long-term position.

Procedures and professional advice

Those intending to settle or work in Ticino must follow precise procedures, ranging from obtaining residence or work permits (such as the G permit for cross-border commuters) to managing taxes and mandatory insurance. The complexity of the system requires a careful assessment of every administrative step, from tax returns to health insurance coverage, which must be taken out within strict deadlines upon arrival in the country. For those already working, constantly verifying one's payslip and compliance with collective bargaining agreement provisions is a recommended practice to ensure the full protection of one's labor rights. The use of digital tools for tax calculation and insurance premium comparison allows for a clear picture of one's net income and fixed expenses. Regardless of the role held, knowledge of the protections provided by federal law is the most effective tool for facing the challenges of the Swiss labor market. For accurate financial planning and to correctly estimate your net salary, we recommend regularly consulting our salary calculator.

Source: tio.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference in the ratio between doctors and inhabitants between Ticino and Como?: Ticino has stronger health coverage than the province of Como. In Ticino, there is one family doctor for every 900 inhabitants, for a total of about 390 professionals compared to 351 thousand residents. On the contrary, in the province of Como the ratio is one doctor for every 2,000 people, with less than 300 active doctors for a population of about 598 thousand inhabitants.
Why does Franco Denti ask for an ethical reflection on recruitment?: Franco Denti, president of the Order of Ticino Doctors, points out that the massive recruitment of doctors and nurses from Italy raises ethical questions. Although the choice of professionals is understandable for economic reasons, the risk is to take essential human resources away from regions that have invested in their training, structurally weakening their health systems. Denti suggests that, while respecting free movement, a limit should be evaluated to preserve the sustainability of neighboring health facilities.
How is Ticino dealing with the generational turnover of doctors?: The Canton focuses on academic training to ensure turnover, with the Faculty of Medicine of the Università della Svizzera italiana as the central pillar. The master's degree in family medicine currently registers full classes. This strategy is essential as many baby boomers approach retirement, making it necessary to form a local pool of talent to maintain continuity of care without relying exclusively on the foreign market.