What to do in case of illness

The emergency ward of a hospital is reserved for severe illnesses, critical accidents and life-threatening conditions!
In case of illness you normally go to a doctor (general practitioner). At weekends or during holidays there are doctors available.

Note: You are covered from the day you entered Switzerland.

Make sure you have your insurance card on you at all times!

If you have an urgent health problem (especially at night or on public holidays) that does not require the emergency ward, you can consult a doctor as follows:

Choose a doctor near your home and call for an appointment. Bring your health insurance card with you:
1. union of doctors FMH: external pagewww.doctorfmh.ch
2. find your doctor in Switzerland: external pagewww.doctor.ch
3. list of doctors in Zurich: external pageZMED
If you do not want to make an appointment or are unsure about which doctor to choose, you can also go to the "Permanence", a medical clinic which is located in the main station as well as in Oerlikon. It is open 365 days a year and you do not need an appointment. However, you may have to wait up to 1 or 2 hours until it's your turn:
1. external pagePermanence Hauptbahnhof (Zurich main station)
2. external pagePermanence Marktplatz Oerlikon
3. external pagePermanence for Women (Frauen-Permanence Zurich)
4. external pagePermanence Children (Swiss Medi Kids AG)
5. Basel: external pageMedbase Toujours Basel Bahnhof (walk-in, 365 days)
If you have a minor medical problem such as a cold or cough, it is best to go to a external pagepharmacy first and buy the appropriate medication there (and pay for it yourself). If your condition does not improve in a few days, see a doctor.
1. external pageBellevue Apotheke (open 24/7)
2. external pageApotheke im Hauptbahnhof

If you are unsure whether or not a treatment is covered by your health insurance, please double check with your insurance company!

Have you been treated by a doctor and paid the bill?

Check the procedure about how to get your money back as a student with an EU health insurance card or as a student without an EU health insurance card.