Care Barometer 2025: Why cost pressure will be the biggest challenge
The new “CNO Barometer 2025” shows a remarkable change of mood in Swiss nursing management. While staff shortages were the dominant problem in recent years, the list of priorities has shifted significantly: Today, most Chief Nurse Officers are focused on financial pressure – and therefore on the question of how facilities can work more efficiently.
Cost pressure overtakes staff shortages
In the previous study from 2023, the shortage of skilled workers was clearly the number one challenge. Two years later, the situation looks different. The most important points for nursing managers are now:
- Cost pressure
- Increased efficiency
- Digitization
- Absences
- Personnel planning
- Skills shortage
The fact that staff shortages only appear in sixth place is surprising – but only at first glance. The authors of the study interpret this as a sign that many managers have become accustomed to a chronic shortage, so to speak. The economic conditions, on the other hand, have tightened and are therefore more in focus.
Digitalization as a beacon of hope
Digital solutions are a key lever for reducing the workload. The automation of documentation processes – for example through speech recognition or AI-based input tools – is particularly important.
Other areas in which CNO hopes to see significant improvements:
- Digital scheduling and capacity planning
- Data-supported control of treatment paths
- Leaner administrative processes
The clear trend is that digitalization is no longer expected to merely provide support, but to actively free up working time.
Dealing with the ongoing staff shortage
Despite new priorities, the skills shortage remains real: 55% of respondents still see it as a major challenge.
Facilities are currently responding primarily with:
- Use of temporary staff (around two thirds)
- Establishment of own flexible personnel pools
- Increased use of less qualified employees (49 percent)
Around 64 percent of companies also report an increase in overtime – a sign that the workload remains high despite all the measures taken and encourages staff turnover.
Who was interviewed?
For the “CNO Barometer 2025”, 95 nursing care managers were surveyed at management level. The participants come from:
- 35 acute hospitals
- around 15 rehabilitation clinics
- around 15 psychiatric facilities
- around 15 Spitex organizations
- Around 15 retirement and care centers
The broad distribution shows that the challenges are perceived similarly throughout the Swiss healthcare system.
Conclusion
The results make it clear that care management today has to think more economically than ever before. The focus is on cost pressure and increasing efficiency – not because the staff shortage has been solved, but because structures and work processes need to become more sustainable. Digitalization is seen as the key to noticeably improving day-to-day work and ensuring the quality of care at the same time.