Graubünden Hospital: 518 million over 12 years (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• New 5-storey building of the cantonal hospital Grisons enters into service at the end of November 2026
• Total investment of 518 million Swiss francs (increase from 430 million budgeted)
• Operating rooms from 10 to 13; emergency room, intensive care on the same level
• One of the largest projects in the hospital's 85-year history

Key facts

• What: Completion of new cantonal hospital wing Graubünden
• When: Open house day Saturday; move in end of November 2026
• Where: Chur, canton of Graubünden, Switzerland
• Who: Cantonal Hospital of Graubünden (Thomas Müller Head, Robert Slipac Head of Surgery)
• Construction site life: 12 years
• Final amount: CHF 518 million
• Increase in costs: 88 million (from 430 to 518); 12 million for legislative changes
• Operating capacity: Interventions about 17,000 per year (2% annual growth)

After 12 years of construction and 518 million francs invested, the new wing of the Cantonal Hospital of Graubünden in Chur is about to enter service at the end of November. An infrastructure project among the most significant in the 85-year history of the hospital, which concludes one of the largest health sites in eastern Switzerland.

The structure, developed over five floors, is not yet fully equipped in the interior spaces. "It does not yet have the appearance of a real hospital, at the moment you can see more architecture," said Thomas Müller, head of emergency medicine, during a visit reserved for

Operational details

The final cost and inflationary pressures

The investment initially planned was CHF 430 million. During the 12 years of construction, costs increased to 518 million, an increase of 88 million equivalent to 20%. According to the spokesperson, as much as 12 million of this increase is due to legislative changes made during the project. The rest is attributable to three main factors: inflation, geopolitical conflicts that have affected the costs of materials and labor, and the reduced number of offers received for some work lots, factors that have reduced competition and caused unit prices to rise.

This scenario accurately reflects the economic pressures that have hit Swiss infrastructure projects in recent years. The cantons have faced a backdrop of rising prices, higher energy costs and complicated international supply chains. Many public yards across Switzerland have experienced similar cost increases, making public budget management more difficult for regional administrations.

Adapting to the needs of the people of south-eastern Switzerland

The new facility was designed not only for the region's permanent residents, but also to manage the floating population of southeastern Switzerland. During the summer months, the population of the area increases significantly due to the tourist flows that affect the

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Key points

What's changing for patients and the healthcare organization

The relocation at the end of November will involve a complete overhaul of patient pathways, operational flows, and internal logistics. The location of the emergency department, operating rooms, and intensive care units on the same floor means that the transfer times of critical patients will be significantly reduced. No longer will it be necessary to transport a patient from one department to another through elevators, long corridors, or stairs, speeding up emergency interventions that often count down to the minute.

In addition, the coordination between medical and paramedical personnel will improve concretely: nurses, anesthesiologists, surgeons, and intensive care specialists will be able to communicate and coordinate more easily, working in the same architectural space and being able to move quickly for consultations or interventions. This hospital design model, already successfully tested at the cantonal hospital in Winterthur, represents an international best practice that improves both efficiency and patient safety.

Impact on the healthcare chain in eastern Switzerland

The cantonal hospital of Grisons does not only serve Chur and the surrounding urban centers, but represents the main healthcare reference point for the entire south-eastern region of Switzerland. The expansion of operational capacity from 10 to 13 operating rooms allows for a reduction in waiting lists and faster services for residents, both for scheduled and emergency interventions. With the 2% annual growth in surgical interventions recorded in recent years, the new building provides a buffer of capacity that will enable the hospital to maintain waiting times contained in the coming years, without saturating the structure.

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