8 years of the ASSAL center: achievements and future projects

This year, our center for Foot Medicine and Surgery is celebrating its eight years of existence. Created in 2012 by PD Dr Mathieu Assal, the center has never stopped growing and reinventing itself.

Today, the team is made up of around twenty employees: specialized surgeons, doctors, nurses, chiropodists and administrative staff do their utmost to treat patients and take care of them until they recover fully.

Other exciting news will be announced throughout the coming year:

The creation of a diabetic foot prevention center

First and foremost, the creation of a diabetic foot center within the ASSAL Center. Thomas Müller, our podiatrist who specializes in diabetic chiropody and patient therapy education, aims to establish a specialized foot risk consultation for patients with diabetes. This disease requires specific treatment which must be carried out by a specialist.

In addition, Mr Müller feels strongly that patients should be involved in their recovery. With this in mind, he will lead workshops in small groups to teach diabetic patients how to take good care of their feet.

Continuous training of our teams

In order to constantly improve their skills, our team members are continually undergoing training on various subjects. Therefore, Christian Riesen, a nurse specialist in wound care and healing, will complete the first part of his acupuncture training. At the end of this initial stage, he will be able to provide acupuncture care to his patients. This new discipline will make it possible to offer an alternative to patients in the treatment of leg, ankle or foot pain.

Also, Dr Lisca Drittenbass is pursuing her MBA in Business Management, which she will complete during 2021.

Commitment to a more resilient economy

The ASSAL Center is strengthening its participation in a more sustainable economy, both environmentally and on a human level. It is for this reason that the center is investing time in becoming BCorp certified. Initiated by the BLab organization, BCorp certification allows participating companies to measure their impact in terms of governance, social and environmental responsibility and transparency. Certified companies then become part of a network that offers mutual assistance and shares the same values.

Part of this same vision and in parallel to BCorp, we also participate in the Swiss Triple Impact (STI), which allows us to measure our actions toward the sustainable development objectives of Agenda 2030. To date, we are the only active medical company to have committed to this program.

Creation of the FORTE Foundation

Finally, 2021 will also mark the official launch of the FORTE Foundation. The purpose of this public utility foundation is to support research and education in the field of traumatology and orthopedics.

Its main fields of activity are the financing of scientific studies, the publication of books and articles, the participation and organization of conferences and training courses, therapeutic education for patients and education for the medical profession, research and innovation in the field of orthopedic medicine and surgery, the support and awarding of scholarships to students coming to train or perfect their skills in the field of orthopedic surgery or teaching in this same specialty.

Despite a somewhat turbulent year in 2020, our center has not allowed itself to be negatively impacted by the pandemic and, on the contrary, has redoubled its efforts to reinvent itself and emerge stronger from it. We are swiftly approaching our 10th anniversary with great ambitions and look forward to telling you more in the coming months.