Workforce, succession planning, and optimism for the future among Swiss general practitioners with additional training in complementary medicine in 2016: A nationwide cross-sectional study

The shortage of general practitioners (GPs) and the aging workforce of established GPs in Switzerland are persistent. Furthermore, data on GPs with additional training in complementary medicine (CM) are lacking. This study aimed to obtain information on GPs with training in CM. A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous online survey to assess the demographics, practice structures, workloads, and future perspectives. The participants were members of four CM societies representing doctors with CM certificates (n = 1,067) in traditional Chinese medicine/acupuncture (TCM/A), homeopathy (HOM), anthroposophical medicine, and phytotherapy. Overall, 206 GPs were included and divided into three groups: TCM/A (n = 73), HOM (n = 76), and others (n = 57).