The concept of “network” represents one of the strategic keys to the future of medicine. The term, of English origin and translatable as "network," refers to a system of interconnected elements capable of sharing information, resources, and services. Applied to the healthcare context, this model paves the way for new, increasingly integrated and patient-focused approaches to collaboration, diagnosis, and treatment. This vision underpins the collaboration between two leading organizations, which are joining forces this year. Swiss Medical Network, which collaborates with 7 centers located throughout Switzerland, joins the prestigious Mayo Clinic Network. Our country thus becomes the first Western European nation to be included in this international healthcare network. The participating clinics will benefit from a unique and strategic relationship, reflecting a shared vision: to offer every patient the best care, based on recognized medical knowledge and the latest therapeutic discoveries.
“Together, we will work to improve care, share knowledge, and improve patient outcomes,” said Brian Costello, MD, Medical Director, International Advisory Service, Mayo Clinic Network. Ticino Welcome was present at the Genolier Clinic, at the recently inaugurated Innovation Hub, to attend the public presentation of this historic union between the Swiss Medical Network and the Mayo Clinic Network.
A collaboration born from shared values and visions
"The idea was born about a year and a half ago, thanks in large part to our doctors who were already familiar with the Mayo Clinic Network and appreciated its helpful medical resources," says Dino Cauzza, current CEO of Swiss Medical Network and a native of Ticino. "When Mayo Clinic Network launched the Care Network, an international expansion program of partner clinics and hospitals, we decided to try joining. After two on-site visits and a thorough preparation process, we were accepted."
"For us, it's very meaningful and exciting to be connected to Switzerland, where the healthcare infrastructure is already top-notch and the doctors, nurses, and all healthcare professionals are highly trained," adds Brian Costello, MD. "This context was a perfect fit for the Mayo Clinic Network, also because of our shared values."
The two networks share core values, centered on a humanistic vision of care, which have facilitated this collaboration. Above these values, emphasizes MD Brian Costello, is a principle that guides every activity: "The patient's needs come first. This statement comes from a famous quote by one of the Mayo Clinic Network's physicians, delivered during a commencement address in Chicago in the early 900s, which has become our guiding principle. The patient is at the center of everything we do: how can we best support their needs? To best respond, we talk to each other, collaborate, and share ideas to solve problems: this is the foundation of our care model."
«Some of the most important approaches we share with Mayo Clinic Network are the importance of the relationship with doctors and their ongoing training, the multidisciplinary approach to patient care, evidence-based medicine, and, above all, the centrality of the patient", confirms Dino Cauzza.
The Swiss clinics involved in the collaboration
"We selected clinics with an international focus," explains Dino Cauzza. "We believe this collaboration with Mayo Clinic will attract more international patients to Switzerland, which is why we chose the Genolier Clinic, the Bethanien Clinic in Zurich, the Sant'Anna Clinic in Lugano, and Swiss Visio, our ophthalmology network." These clinics are open to both Swiss and international patients and offer a comprehensive healthcare approach, not limited to surgery but also including internal medicine. "We added Swiss Visio to our clinics because of its position at the forefront of ophthalmology training and research." With the Sant'Anna Clinic and the new Swiss Visio branch in Bellinzona, Ticino now has two reference centers that benefit from the collaboration with the Mayo Clinic Network.
The importance of continuing education
Continuing education and research are among the shared interests of the two Networks. "One of the reasons we included in the collaboration with the Mayo Clinic Network also Swissvisio, our ophthalmology network, is that this is very advanced in the training of doctors, particularly in the treatment of glaucoma, an area of great interest for Mayo Clinic Network," says Dino Cauzza. "For this reason, exchange programs have been established, in which Mayo Clinic doctors will come to study with us. Mayo Clinic Network It is leaving the United States to consolidate its position as a world leader and expand its medical knowledge by learning from the health systems of other countries."
A collaboration that enhances preventive medicine
"One of the first concrete innovations for patients will be the introduction of innovative check-up programs, where patients, in one or two days, can undergo a series of diagnostic tests, ranging from blood tests to an osteopathic consultation, all guided by a doctor and personalized based on an individual risk analysis," explains Dino Cauzza. "The data collected, combined with information on nutrition, sleep, and exercise, will then be shared with the Mayo Clinic Network. to offer highly personalized solutions to patients, to improve their health and prevent future ailments, also through lifestyle advice."
"We will contribute to the follow-up of Swiss Medical Network's check-ups, bringing new ideas on longevity medicine, executive health, and lifestyle modifications. These are areas where we have extensive experience to offer increasingly personalized solutions," adds MD Brian Costello.
The beginning of a long journey together in the name of health
«Thanks to this collaboration, our professionals now have access to three fundamental tools», concludes Dino Cauzza, «the request for a second opinion, access to the Mayo Clinic Network tumor boards (interdisciplinary meetings of doctors who discuss tumor cases to define the best therapeutic approach) and free access to the vast scientific library of Mayo Clinic Network. We are at the beginning of a long journey of growth and experimentation with the goal of offering increasingly effective solutions to patients.
"We are thrilled that Swiss Medical Network is joining the Mayo Clinic Network," says Brian Costello, MD. "We have other international partners, but this is our first in Central Europe, a significant step for the Mayo Clinic Network. Collaborating with other medical centers around the world is an important mission aimed at sharing knowledge, advancing science, and having a real impact on patient care worldwide."
