Hope this is the right place to put this thread... and sorry to the squirmish out there

Anyway i have just been speaking with my old doctors back home to finally inform them that I moved 18 months ago so not to send any mail to me etc.... and it got me thinking, what happens with medical records in Switzerland, the lady at my doctors said thay have to go back to my local health authority but it seems odd that my doctor here would not require my records? Is this the case here that doctors dont hold your medical history?

Also the reason i called my doctors to inform them of my address change was because I received an automated smear test appointment to my old address. Anyway can you girls tell me what is the procedure here in Switzerland - do you book yourself in for them with your normal GP? or do you need to go to a gaenocologist seperate for this? and also do you have to pay for this out of your franchise? I also assume women don't get reminders here to go for checkups lke they do in the UK?

Cheers
Nicky

Nope, no reminders.
Gynos are the only specialist doctors you can book directly yourself, without going through your GP, and they're the ones who do the testing.
I searched online then went to the office directly to book, instead of over the phone, because then I could get an idea of the type (and run if I didn't like her ). I explained to the receptionist I'd prefer to speak english and she said the doctor speaks very good english. So I stayed with her.
Then when you get the invoice you send it to the insurance, because yes, it comes out of your franchise.

Hope this helped

Hi Nicky this is what I did:
Ask your doctors back home to photostat your records and send them to you. Then you take them to your new doctor here. Of course you do not have to, the new doctor will take your history anyways but it is good to have the old papers especially if they contain test results and stuff.

Smear tests you book with your gyneacologist and it is paid by your Krankenkasse and then yes it is deducted from your franchise.
I get reminders from all my doctors but I think this depends on the Praxis and it is not general.

hope this helped a bit

tak

These are very good questions, all of which I have asked myself many a time!!
From my experience the doctors here don't ask for your medical records, although they will quite likely ask you about your medical history.

It's best to make an appointment with your local GP, but do make sure they know it's for a yearly pap. If you are with a busy female doctor you may find you need to make those particular appointments months in advance.

There's no way you will get into a female gyno in this country....well at least in this Canton!!...unless you are pregnant. You may have more luck with a male gyno, but it's not necessary for standard smear tests.

Hope that helps.

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hallo Scarletbea, you can book any doctor directly (not only the gyneacologist) if your not in the HMO model insurance.

tak

Well, I needed to see the eye doctor and they didn't even ask me for the type of insurance I have, said immediately I needed a recommendation from my GP...

I tried the first and it was like you said, only if I was pregnant, but I was luckier on my second attempt. I had to wait 2 months, but it wasn't urgent, and the doctor was really nice.
It's in Schaffhausen though...

That's as maybe, but Tak is quite right, it depends on your insurance model. I, for example, went directly to an EN&T specialist.

This is probably not quite the right thread to ask this question, but what the heck...

At some point soon I will have to have some unspecified medical tests for my company pension. I am quite worried about this (I hate the doctor's). I have heard it includes blood tests. Will it also include a smear test?

kfc.

[quote=ScarletBea;74612]Well, I needed to see the eye doctor and they didn't even ask me for the type of insurance I have, said immediately I needed a recommendation from my GP...



this is very odd scarletbea and if you are not insured in HMO then also very irregular.
It is true though that your GP can get you an appointment much faster than you would. Actually this is how I do it, I get my GP Praxis (or my guneacologist's Praxis) to make my appointments with other doctors and in a week I am there. Else the waiting (for first time appointments) can be long.

Sorry Tak,but that is not the case,
you can only make a direct appoinment with a GP,Gynae and pediatrician .
For all others such as ENT,Eyes,Endocrinologist,Urologists, Skin doctors,Psychiatrists and psychotherapies etc etc you need a referall from your GP..........

hallo Eastenders,

I am sorry to insist, but I am insured non HMO (or casamed or whatever they name it on the different Krankenkasse) and I am booking ALL kinds of doctors and therapies directly and not through my GB for the last 11 years and never had a problem. So do other people I know, from other Krankenkasse. Actually only the HMO Modell forces you to book through the GP (except gyneacologist). You save money on the Prämien thus but you do not have the free choise.

tak