Telehealth & Telemedicine Services

Telmed insurance model vs. telehealth as a service

These two concepts are often confused, but they work very differently:

• Telmed insurance model: A KVG insurance model (like HMO or Hausarzt models) where you must call a medical hotline before visiting any doctor or specialist. The hotline triages your case and decides whether you need an in-person visit, can be treated over the phone, or should go to emergency care. In exchange for this gatekeeping, you receive a premium discount (typically 10--18%). Major Telmed providers: Medgate (used by many insurers including CSS, Visana, Concordia), Medi24 (SWICA), and Sante24 (SWICA for French-speaking regions).
• Telehealth as a service: Any insured person -- regardless of their insurance model -- can use telehealth services for a medical consultation. You schedule a video or phone call with a licensed physician. The consultation is billed like a regular doctor visit and covered by KVG, subject to your franchise and Selbstbehalt.

Major telehealth platforms

Switzerland has several established telehealth providers:

• Medgate: The largest telemedicine provider in Switzerland. Operates 24/7. Available by phone, video, and app. Partners with numerous insurers (CSS, Visana, Concordia, Groupe Mutuel, and others). Offers consultations in German, French, Italian, and English. Doctors can issue prescriptions, referrals, and sick notes.
• eedoctors: Digital-first platform offering video consultations. Available via app and web. Covers general medicine, dermatology (photo-based skin assessments), and pediatric advice. Consultations typically in German, French, and English.
• Medi24: Operated by SWICA. Available 24/7 for SWICA members. Provides medical advice, triage, and telehealth consultations by phone. Multilingual service in German, French, Italian, and English.
• Sante24: SWICA's health and medical advisory service, particularly for French-speaking Switzerland. Staffed by medical professionals 24/7.
• Helsana Coach / Helsana Online-Arzt: Telemedicine services available to Helsana members. Includes video consultations and health coaching.

What can be treated via telehealth

Telehealth is suitable for a wide range of conditions, particularly:

• Acute minor conditions: Colds, flu symptoms, sore throat, cough, mild fever, urinary tract symptoms, mild allergic reactions, insect bites, minor skin conditions.
• Chronic condition management: Follow-up consultations for diabetes, hypertension, thyroid conditions, and other stable chronic conditions where physical examination is not needed at every visit.
• Prescription renewals: Doctors can renew existing prescriptions for ongoing medications via telehealth. The prescription is sent electronically to your chosen pharmacy.
• Dermatology: Many skin conditions can be assessed via high-quality photos or video. Some platforms offer asynchronous dermatology consultations where you submit photos and receive a diagnosis within hours.
• Mental health: Psychiatric and psychological consultations are increasingly available via video. This is particularly valuable for follow-up sessions.
• Sick notes (Arztzeugnis): Doctors can issue sick notes for short-term illness after a telehealth consultation. Most employers accept these.
• Medical advice and triage: Unsure whether your symptoms require a doctor visit or emergency care? Telehealth can help you decide the right course of action.

When you still need an in-person visit

Telehealth has limits. You need to see a doctor in person for:

• Physical examinations (auscultation, palpation, blood pressure measurement)
• Blood tests and laboratory work
• Imaging (X-rays, ultrasound, MRI, CT)
• Injections, vaccinations, and infusions
• Wound care and suturing
• Surgical procedures
• Acute chest pain, difficulty breathing, or other emergency symptoms (call 144)
• Ophthalmological examinations
• New symptoms that require physical assessment

A good telehealth doctor will always tell you when an in-person visit is necessary and can often arrange a referral or appointment directly.

Costs and coverage

Telehealth consultations are covered by KVG basic insurance when they are medically necessary:

• Billing: Telehealth consultations are billed under TARMED (and increasingly under the new TARDOC tariff system) just like in-person consultations. The per-minute rate is the same.
• Cost sharing: Subject to your franchise and 10% Selbstbehalt, just like any other KVG-covered service.
• Typical cost: A 15-minute phone or video consultation costs approximately CHF 50--80. Complex cases requiring more time cost more.
• Telmed model: The triage call itself is typically free for Telmed model members. If the call results in a full telehealth consultation (beyond simple triage), it is billed as a medical consultation.

Language availability

Swiss telehealth services typically offer consultations in:

• German: Always available on all platforms.
• French: Available on most platforms (Medgate, eedoctors, Medi24, Sante24).
• Italian: Available on Medgate and Medi24. Limited availability on smaller platforms.
• English: Available on Medgate, eedoctors, and most larger platforms. Particularly useful for expats and international residents.
• Other languages: Some platforms offer interpreter services or have doctors who speak additional languages. Ask when booking.