I have a great doctor (from Germany) whose English is very good. However, I am wondering if you can help me find GPs/doctors in Zug, Zurich, central CH from English-speaking countries. I find it a cultural thing, not necessarily language.

Just curious, but what is the (cultural) difference?

Same question. Actually Doctors from the US and the UK will have had very different training and experiences, and culture.

If a patient is to receive effective care, both the doctor and patient must understand one another. Cultural assumptions can indeed be a large a factor in the ability to establish that understanding. Some doctors/patients are good at bridging the gap, others are not. Not a reflection on the doctor's skill or the patients integration ( ) - but nonetheless an issue in the delivery of effective health care.

If a lack of understanding - for whatever reason - has proven to be a barrier to effective treatment, then a patient is right to seek someone with whom he/she is likely to feel more in tune.


Jfl:

I wish I could give you a recommendation, but I'm afraid the GPs in my neck of the woods only offer consultations in German.

Hope you find the care you need.

Indeed, as will those from India and other English-speaking parts of Asia.

In general, i.e. not specifically related to medecine, I've found in the twelve years I've been here that Swiss 'culture' (and indeed French, German, Italian, Croatian, etc. etc.) is actually much closer to that of the UK than is the USA. Most Europeans share much more common cultural values without being aware of them, by simple reason of a shared history (and in some cases geography). The US, invented from scratch in the last couple of centuries, misses a lot of our shared values and so sometimes seems much more alien to me than I've ever felt anywhere in Europe, East or West.

Agreed. Though I was more wondering in this case if it was something specific she was seeking or lacking, culturally speaking.
I myself can compare the care in three European countries, and personally I have experienced bigger differences on an individual rather than a cultural level when it comes to doctors and other healthcare professionals.

I can recommend Angela Caddick by Bahnhof Stadelhofen, Zurich. She is British and holds UK qualifications as a GP. Her practice partner is Dr Smith who is also from the UK.
She will only refer you to specialists with a very sound knowledge of English, but in my experience this applies to the majority of Dr's here.
I have only been with her for a year, but so far have had excellent service.

http://www.drangelacaddick.com/

Hi, I am family Physician / Doctor working in Saudi Arabia
In Ministry of Health since 1993.Am looking for
Job in Switzerland especially in Geriatric care. Of course
I know English , Pushto, Urdu & Arabic languages.
Kindly inform me if there is any job. Many thanks

I think the cultural barrier is that doctors here assume patients are not aware of the basics of medicine... or if they do, that they're being difficult for asking question instead of wanting information on what is required to be healthy.

Or I just happened to see two terrible doctors that gave me this terrible vibe.

Funny enough, in Canada, the two GPs I had since childhood were both foreign trained.

Are you referring to "bedside manner?" In that case I understand what you mean completely. The training in some countries does not seem to includes this at all, whilst others place great emphasis on the skills of building up a respectful bond with the client.

Simple things such as empathising with the clients fellings towards being partically undressed, can make a huge difference; Asking "how do feel about..." rather than just directing the client; keeping the client informed, "I would like to prescribe x, because....." can all make a difference to the confort, therefore the communication and ultimately the best treatent for anyone. A relaxed client is more likely to disclose full history that ultimately makes it easier for the doctor to best perform her/his duties .

Well, I seem to have started off quite a debate! Very interesting.

As I said, I very much like my German GP here in Luzern. And the Swiss in general have a high rate of English speaking.

My situation is that I am an Irish psychologist who is finding it very hard to find clients - especially hard, as I, like pretty much anyone trained outside CH, cannot work through the insurance system. In short, my clients must pay cash. (As a consequence, my rates are low in this market.)

What I am now doing is contacting GPs across Zug, in the hope that they might refer me clients. (Additional problem: while people happily refer to friends their great physio or doc or hairdresser, psychologists/counselors can rarely avail of this word-of-mouth advertising! And, yes: I am advertising here, zurich.angloinfo, etc.) I have a large list of docs in Zug who speak English. However, they are almost all clearly German or Swiss. Again, nothing against them. From talking to a lot of expats, I have just found that, for the "heavy" stuff in life, they often prefer a native-speaker, and preferably from their own culture.

Further, as I have a lot of experience in child/adolescent, I am fully aware of the difficulty parents can face when they have issues here with their child/adolescent. This is where the real cultural differences can manifest. And it's hard enough to get an adolescent to go to a counselor as it is!

Hope it works out.

Jfl I'm curious... do people here go first to their GP for a recommendation for a psychologist?

Perhaps it's that ol' cultural difference but my GP is the last person I would think of consulting were I looking for a therapist. Largely because the GP discourages any personal conversation during a visit - it's 10 minutes, list your symptoms, out the door. Granted, I've only seen a few GPs here, but all those have operated the same way, highly impersonal. No opportunity to sound the GP out, let alone ask for a recommendation.

A friend found her therapist through the international school her child attends. Have you considered contacting those? Especially if you offer child/adolescent counseling.

But tbh, were I looking for counseling or therapy I would search online first - because this is such a private issue. Do you have a website? If so, maybe EFers could critique it - there are plenty of folks here with advertising/PR experience...

Anyway, wishing you all the best in your new venture.

I cannot speak for individuals here - of course, they can find a psychologist/counselor on their own. But, in Ireland, as I am sure is the case in the UK, you often find one through a referral from your GP. And it would be contingent on your relationship with your GP. When living back home, I found having an open, relaxed relationship with my GP to be really important.

Well, I have seen Dr. Manuel Grahmann at praxisluzern.ch, and he's always given me time for a chat!