3 months ago I moved to Zurich and only last week I needed to go to the GP. I researched on the Internet for doctors and found one relatively close to home. English forum had recommended Dr Martin Smith at Bellevue.
So, I went for a consultation and he was so rude and unprofessional!! He raised his voice at me, and told me I was wasting his time and that I was over reacting...to go home and forget about it. I definitely don't go to the doctr for no reason. So for him to tell me I was over reacting made me quite angry and upset.
Seriously? Is this how doctors work in Switzerland? I have read how the Swiss health care is so fantastic.
Can someone enlighten me on the health care system here, in particular GP's.
Also if anyone has a good and kind doctor near Zurich. Please let me know :-)
Sorry to hear that. Never heard anything even remotely close to that. So, no, this is not how they do business, here.
I go to the HMO near Stadelhofen, which is a group of GP's working together, which also gives me a substantial reduction on my insurance fee. No complaints, there.
Before that, I went to Dr. Stacchi, http://www.stacchi.ch/ . Multilingual, very nice guy, patient oriented and always helpful.
In emergencies, go to Permanence in the main station. You do not need an appointment, they are used to foreign patients, and are open on weekends and in evenings (don't remember if weekend consultation was more expensive, though).
I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience. In general I've been quite pleased with my experiences with doctors in Switzerland- they seem to be good at listening and they also seem like they want to take time to treat me in a way that preserves and restores my health safely, rather than just throwing medication at me to get me out the door as quickly as possible as has been the case in other countries I've lived in.
I've never gone to Dr. Smith, but I do see another doctor at the same practice, Dr. Angela Caddick, and I recommend her highly. She's a native English speaker and is very patient and professional- seems unlikely to raise her voice at a patient, certainly. If you're not too steamed to return to the same practice, I'd suggest making an appointment with her.
There are excellent doctors in Switzerland, and there awful doctors in Switzerland - pretty much like in any other country in the world.
What you might find, however, is a difference in expectations and in the services a general practioner offers. This may or may not cloud your opinion of the care you receive.
If language is an issue, one first needs to determine if the doctor prefers to speak in German (French, Italian) or if he/she is truly happy to conduct the consultation in English. If either doctor or patient are not wholly comfortable in the language the consultation is conducted in misunderstandings can easily happen.
Having made this mistake - my German is functional but far from fluent - when I meet with a new doctor I am now very blunt and ask the doctor what he/she prefers. And having settled on a language, I ask him/her upfront to question me further if my comments don't quite seem to make sense - and I do the same, in order to limit misunderstandings.
Fortunately you are in ZH, where you are spoiled for choice of health care providers - and if language is an issue, likely to find a doctor who is truly happy to consult in English.
I would recommend seeing another doctor (or two) for an introductory visit, not necessarily when you are ill and not at your best, in order to find one with whom you 'click'. Yes, such visits will cost you a bit - but a good investment in your future health care, IMO. If the doctor doesn't offer introductory visits - perhaps that isn't the right doctor for you. Do make sure that you are clear that this is an introductory non-urgent visit, though - and be prepared to wait for an appointment.
I just had an appointment with Dr. Smith and my experience could not have been more different. He was very polite and friendly. I actually prefer him to other doctors I have visited in the Zurich area.
I am a US trained doctor (Ob/Gyn) moving soon to Zurich, and my German is fairly limited. From your collective experiences, do you think there may be a market for my services in English while I train in German?
It's a group practice with it's own lab. You have a blood test 15 minutes before you see the Dr , then your Dr has the results when you walk into the surgery! Saves 2 visits, if you need further tests they do immediately & then the Dr can make a much better diagnosis.
I was there on Friday for about an hour, had 2 lots of tests & saw the Dr twice.
My preferred Dr is Manuella Lowo, who did some of her training in the UK. When you leave any prescription medicines will be ready at reception! I usually get a prescription that I fill in the UK for 1/4 of the price at Super Drug.
Yes. But....have you investigated what you need to do to set up a practice? Are your qualifications recognized here, are you licensed to practice medicine in Switzerland, are you recognized as a provider under Swiss law and by insurers. Do you have a specialty?
Having said that, people are always looking for English speaking gyns. If you can practice here, you'll probsbly find patients.
Plus you can save on your health insurance by signing up to the sanacare system. I am going to their Zurich Stadelhofen team and am happy. No problem getting an appointment, very friendly service, competent doctors.
I do not mean to resurrect an old thread but I had to respond to this one.
I just saw Dr. Martin Smith for the first time today since moving to Zurich. I went in for an annual physical and could not have been more pleased.
Dr. Smith is a very nice, caring and professional doctor. He took the time too get to know me asking pertinent questions related to my life and medical history. He gave me a very professional physical with blood test and EKG. He took the time to answer any and all questions I had.
To sum up he is an excellent doctor, friendly and professional. Made me feel comfortable and just not another number. Sorry to hear the original poster had a bad experience but I am sure he is in the minority on this one.
I have used Dr. Martin Smith during my time in Zurich and have always found him very pleasant and professional. He was very quick to correctly diagnose a problem I had a couple of years ago and I was operated on in hospital within days. He is English but is a longstanding resident of Zurich and, I think, a Swiss German speaker so he knows the local ropes. I have also seen his colleagues, including Dr. Angela Caddick, when Dr. Smith was on holiday and I also found them very pleasant and professional.
For what it's worth, I've been very happy with my GP, a colorful character called Dr. Benedikt Loser (really: www.drloser.ch ). He caters to the LGBT community, and his clinic I describe as being a mix of your grandmother's living room and a Las Vegas bordello (airline seats to sit on, mirrors and rhinestones everywhere, a lava lamp, disco ball, christmas lights, a 3D picture of kittens, an electric fireplace, plastic flowers, a few of those Thai waving good luck cats, ...). But despite the craziness of the place, I've not found a doctor more willing to actually listen and investigate problems.
Thank you for this! I am in the process of moving to Zurich, and I'm looking for a good doctor that knows the specific health needs of gay folks. The web site is a treat, lol. Appreciate the referral.
As i am searching for a GP, i found the name of Dr. Martin Smith in this thread but its not clear where is his clinic. can somebody who has recent experience provide his clinic details?