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Prof. Dr Kaspar Z’graggen has been working at the Beau-Site Clinic since 2005. The visceral surgeon and internationally renowned pancreas specialist has since built up one of the largest Swiss pancreas centres with his team. Now the centre is getting a new name and a new look. Reason enough to ask why?

Professor Z’graggen, your centre is starting 2022 with a new look. Why?

In recent years we have succeeded in developing into one of the most important pancreatic surgery centres in Switzerland and we treat, assess and operate on 400-500 pancreas patients a year. From the very beginning, we have focused on interdisciplinarity, because patients with pancreatic diseases need several specialists, not just surgeons. On the basis of this competence, last year we looked at our positioning and how we are perceived in an increasingly competitive environment.

... and what did you find out?

As a centre for a segment of highly specialised medicine, we have found that we do not meet the needs of the various target groups in every case. But it is actually quite simple: our patients want competent specialists, but also need more proximity for this difficult time in their lives - in other words, a more direct connection. Our referring physicians feel the same way, but on a different level. 

Quite simple really, isn’t it?

Yes, we were and are specialists in pancreatic diseases. Beyond that, we want to be accessible. We also want to be accessible and approachable at a low threshold. It must be easy to make an appointment with us. Googling is not an alternative.

Now you are moving from a centre to a clinic - but highly specialised medicine is centre medicine nowadays?

Although we are now called Pancreas Clinic Switzerland, we are still and even more a highly and multiprofessional core team. The treatment of pancreatic cancer patients today requires multiprofessional treatment concepts. In this model, we as surgeons work closely together with gastroenterologists and other medical disciplines as well as specialised Advanced Practice Nurses (APN), a psychologist and nutrition and diabetes advisors. As a clinic, we are once again closer to our patients.

Does this also meet the needs of the patients?

The diagnosis of a pancreatic tumour is always a shock for those affected and their relatives. Then comes the clarification phase, followed by an operation if necessary. Patients with pancreatic cancer are almost always treated with chemotherapy before or after surgery, and sometimes with radiation. For these patients, the focus is on survival. As a result, the circumstances of life change for those affected, especially if the blood sugar-regulating and enzyme-producing digestive organ has to be completely or partially removed because of a tumour. We therefore asked our patients what they need.

And?

The patients all have a great need for information. The focus is on topics such as prognosis and the new life situation after pancreas surgery with dietary changes and blood sugar management. We can only do justice to this as an interdisciplinary and interprofessional centre. This has guided the effort for closeness and clarity in the rebranding.

Now you have also adapted the logo and the colours?

Yes, and here too we have taken graphic inspiration from the organ we care for. The outline of the pancreas will be part of our logo in future, which is otherwise simple, clear and modern.

Our overall appearance is also reduced with many white areas and only two colours: soft green and purple. The latter is a reference to the international colour scheme in this medical field. We also want to show that we are part of the international research and professional elite.

So the packaging is new, and the content?

With this process, we have also taken a close look at our actions. One of our clinic philosophies is still «walk the talk». That means we do what we say. And above all, we do not make false promises. Pancreatic diseases are serious illnesses, we want to give affected people the best possible help and accompany them through this time. With our new website, we have focused even more strongly on the needs of these people, but also on those of our referring colleagues. We want to create more clarity and proximity.

You can find more information about the Pancreas Clinic Switzerland here.

Kaspar Z’graggen has been working as a pancreas specialist and visceral surgeon at the Beau-Site Clinic in Bern since 2004. He is the most experienced Swiss surgeon in the field of pancreatic cancer. Z’graggen completed his training at the Inselspital Bern and did research at Harvard Medical School in the USA. From 1998 to 2001 he was senior physician at the Clinic for Visceral Surgery at the Inselspital Bern. From 2001 he was Head of Surgical Oncology at Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany. In 2003 he was elected Chief of Surgery at the University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV). Kaspar Z’graggen is a specialist in surgery, especially visceral surgery. His clinical interests focus on tumour surgery, laparoscopic surgery and especially pancreatic surgery. He is a founding member and has been Vice-President of the Swiss Pancreas Foundation for many years and has been President of the World Pancreas Forum since 2015.