Although I have been in Zurich a couple of years, the healthcare system still confuses me and I am not yet registered with a GP. I want to get a prescription for contraception and check up some basics, so should I go to a GP here, or a specialist? Any recommendations? My German is not up to medical so would appreciate a doc with good English.

Thanks

Ask your health insurance to provide you a list of GPs.

To get you started here's a list of all doctors.

http://www.doctor.ch/doctor.html

Contraception and other "women's health" stuff should be sought from a gynaecologist (Frauenarzt).

A GP would probably refer you to one. In the UK you usually go to the GP for everything but here they usually refer you to doctors in specific fields. Depending on your insurance you can either approach a specialist directly or you have to go via the GP.

Always a good idea to get to meet a GP and get them to know a bit about yourself, family, pre-existing conditions, etc. Unfortunately in CH you will be charged for this initial meeting - but money well spent I think- and s/he will recommend a gynaecologist. Last thing I'd ever want is to have an emergency or be very ill and not know who to see or call- much better for he/she to know a bit about you and you about them - just in case, beforehand.

I would make an appointment with Manuela Lowo at Sanacare group practice, She speaks perfect English rather than Swinglish. Best Dr I ever met, some of her training was in the UK.
http://www.sanacare.ch/htm/praxen.ht...pid=14&navid=3

Dr. med. Manuela Lowo

Ärztin für Allgemeinmedizin

Frau Dr. Lowo absolvierte ihre Grundausbildung in Innerer Medizin, Pädiatrie (Kinder), Dermatologie (Haut), Gynäkologie sowie Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Chirurgie und Neurologie (Nervensystem) in Wien. In den vergangenen Jahren war Frau Dr. Lowo als Hausärztin auch in der palliativ Betreuung sowie in der gynäkologischen Grundversorgung tätig.
Sprachen: Deutsch, Englisch

My GP is my gyno here; including pregnancy. Try out the nearest one ie most convenient ( near work or home) and you might be pleasantly surprised. Most would also speak English too. Just do it.

You should definitely have a hausarzt... GP, primary care doctor, whatever. But for "female" issues you need to see a gynecologist, frauenarzt, unless you find a hausarzt who does both.

I live in a small town south of bern and picked my doctor out of the phone book... I was lucky, he was excellent, although I found my gyn via referral .. My point being that there are lots of competent English speaking docs in areas like Bern and Zurich.

Most GPs ( hausartzt) are qualified to do both ... more qualified than a US GP for example. disagree that you need two, but your GP will know

Thanks for the advice... !