Practical Information

Finding a Doctor

Outpatient medical care is, for the most part, taken care of by private doctors and by outpatient departments of public hospitals or private clinics. Generally, patients are free to choose their own doctor and also have unlimited, direct access to specialists, though if your insurance policy is with a Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO), or otherwise limited, you may have to select from among the doctors registered with your HMO. It’s possible to change doctors at any time.
You can find a doctor (Arzt/médicin) in the Yellow Pages. General practitioners are listed under Allgemeine Medizin or médicin général. You can also have a look at the web site doctor.ch to find a list of doctors by specialty and canton. If you need a doctor that speaks your native language, contact your embassy or consulate, as they can often provide you with a list.