Does anyone know the best hospital for cancer patients in Switzerland?

Depends on which cancer and how you define "best".

bladder cancer.

hard to define best, but i guess it would mean a hospital that places the patient first, that has low levels of internal politics, that communicates with the patient and family clearly and that is on the cutting edge of current therapy options.

The hospital in Bellinzona has a very well known Cancer treatment centre. My wife is under treatment there and they deal very well with both the physical and mental effects of cancer.

Is language a problem? When you're feeling down, the last thing you need is to struggle unnecessarily hard with the language trying to make yourself understood.

Yes, if English is your only language it will be challenging. Most of the Dr have a good grasp of English but not all. If you are in for an operation then most of the nurses have Italian and German, some French but little English. My wife speaks Italian and that really helped. So your comment is very valid, with English only you may struggle to communicate.

Actually, I was thinking more of choosing a hospital in the 'correct' language region of Switzerland.

It's a free world and you can choose what suits you. Bellinzona suits us and we have been very happy with the professionalism and courtesy of everyone we have been involved with. We also live in this area.

I'm very happy with the lindenhofspital in Bern. I've been treated for breast cancer there. Feel it's very patient centered. Had my own docs, not assistant docs.

It really depends also on your docs - you need a good oncologist and a good bladder specialist - urologist. Do you have doctors?

But also, if you have a complex or tricky case, the university spitals, e.g., Bern, Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne - might have more advanced care. Problem is that these places can make you feel anonymous.

Actually, Lugano and Bellinzona operate together as a single entity.

Between them, they have the best doctors and equipment in Switzerland.

English is perhaps a problem for some staff, but the head oncology doctors all speak perfect English.

Tom

I was treated for my very rare cancer (Pseudomyxoma Peritonei - starts life as appendix cancer) in St Gallen. I had an 11.5 hour surgery that involved removing half my stomach and re-plumbing my small intestine and doing HIPEC. That was at the end of September, I'm now skiing in the US 3 months later, so I think that says how good a job they did.

Aren't these replies a bit of a mute point? Unless you are paying for the top health insurance cover you're limited to whatever hospital/s the insurance cover specifies aren't you? Certainly on basic insurance cover I don't think you could use the services of Lugano/Bellinzona when you're based in Zurich. Or am I wrong?

I don't think so either - under normal circumstances. However, if the very specific treatment is only available in another canton, there may be exceptions. A friend of ours who lived in Biel was operated on in Geneva because it was the place where the only surgeon in Switzerland who did this operation worked.

please check on www.hirslanden.ch

hirslanden...top group of hospitals, great informative website in english.

As of last year the rules were loosened. Under basic coverage one may go to a hospital out of canton - but one needs to first check with one's canton's policy.

I have only researched the rules in SZ - but to give you an idea:

SZ maintains a Spital List - if the hospital and department you wish to go to is on the list, you are covered. If the hospital is not on the list, the basic insurance might only pick up some of the costs - or none at all.

http://www.sz.ch/xml_1/internet/de/a...237/p27200.cfm

So before going further, if you only have basic coverage check with your canton to be sure you understand what your coverage possibilities are.

(Of course if you have supplementary insurance that allows you to be treated anywhere you can ignore the above.)

Alex, I wish you all the best.

Steve Jobs came once to Basel for cancer treatment.

I would have thought that most people are paying for supplementary cover.

Tom

Tom - some of us would be very happy to pay for such- but if you have pre-existing conditions, Swiss Insurances just turn you right down - or exclude those conditions.

A dear friend was a patient at Hirslanden, ZH, and was satisfied with the treatment.

Hi Alexsavic. I have first hand experience of precisely what you describe. I can recommend Hirslanden Aarau. Please PM me for further details. All the best.