Our answers to your questions

The Medgate app gives you access to Medgate's telemedicine and digital health services. You can use these services for yourself or your children. The app offers a personalised benefit by providing a recommendation for the appropriate healthcare provider (Medgate or family doctor) and an indication of the urgency of the consultation. This is based on the symptoms entered and your profile data. The Medgate app also allows you to book an appointment for a teleconsultation easily and directly online, choosing between a telephone, video or chat consultation. You can also receive any necessary medical documents (e.g. doctor's certificate, treatment plan) directly and securely via the app, unless otherwise agreed with your insurance company.

The technical requirements are an up-to-date, functional end device that is adequately charged and a stable Internet connection. You can find information about operating system compatibility in the App Store. You will need to create a user account before you can use any of the app's services. No special knowledge is required to use the app. In Settings, select your preferred language. You have the possibility to choose between German, English, French and Italian. Describing your symptoms in detail, for instance, requires good language skills.

For the installation and functionality of the Medgate App, the app must be continuously connected to the Internet. The response time and data transfer time depend on your subscription and the volume of data.

Telemedicine is suitable for resolving many medical issues. In around half of all cases, patients are treated exclusively via telemedicine. Whether access to Medgate is through the phone or the app does not matter, as the medical service is the same. However, the app is intended to simplify access to Medgate.

Some of the app's functions require unrestricted interaction between you and your device. In the event of such restrictions, for example caused by poor environmental conditions like direct sunlight on the display, you should curtail the interaction by, for example, calling directly. Avoid functions that require the transmission of large quantities of data (for example, video consultations) if your Internet connection is poor. Use the app in a manner appropriate to your state of health. In emergencies, don't hesitate to call directly. Call immediately if your state of health worsens after booking an appointment.

On your device, go to the app to configure the option of receiving health recommendations. You can choose whether you'd like to receive this information when you set up your account. If you change your mind at a later point in time, you can turn this information on or off under «More» > «Settings» > «Allow health recommendations».

In our Medgate App, you can record your health data and securely make it available to our Medgate doctors. They can view the data during a teleconsultation and treat you even better thanks to the additional health information. You can view and change your data at any time directly in the app.

Legal information, such as terms and conditions, can be found under «More» > «Product Information».

On the Medgate website under the section «How it works» these FAQs can be found together with further information and documents e.g. the explanation of the symbols, in the regulatory imprint.

You can use any device to access your data by logging in with your user name and password. Don't forget to change the phone number if it has been altered.

Profile creation requires a Swiss insurance card (VEKA number needed for profile creation). If you have such a card, please contact customer service to determine the cause.

With the Medgate App, teleconsultations with Medgate are available to all persons insured in Switzerland and are recognized by all Swiss health insurers. The consultation is billed as part of the statutory health insurance benefits in the same way as a visit to a doctor's practice, and is recognized by your health insurer.

The card ID number is located on the back (bottom left) of your insurance card. The details of supplementary insurance are on the front of the card.

The card identification number enables us to retrieve your insurance information so that you do not have to enter all the details manually.

If you have forgotten your password, please select the «Forgotten your password?» function on the login screen. If you have forgotten your user name, please call Medgate's Customer Service Center at +41 61 377 88 28.

You can change your password under «More» > «Settings» > «Change password».

Personal data cannot be altered in the app, since we acquire the data from your insurer. Please report any changes of your name or address immediately to your health insurer.

Please update the information under «More» > «Settings» > «Contact details». Please check that you have received our confirmation message at your new email address.

You can view your past appointments under «More» > «My consultations».

Keep your access data in a secure place. Never share your access data and do not leave your cell phone unattended.

You will be asked to select the profile of the patient to be treated before you book a teleconsultation (book an appointment) or use the Doctors' Chat. If multiple profiles are available, make sure you have selected the right one.

This is not possible, because medical confidentiality would not be maintained. Only under-age children of a legal guardian may be added to a user account.

For reasons of data protection and medical confidentiality, the profile of a minor can only be assigned to a user account. If you wish to assign your child's profile to your partner's user account, you must delete it from your user account and then add it to your partner's account.

You must be an adult in order to use the app. However, minors can be added as a profile to the user account of a parent or guardian.

You can add a profile under «More» > «Profiles» in the top right screen.

Select the child profile and then tap on the 3 dots and select «Delete profile». Please note that this process will delete all data in this profile.

Due to legal regulations and to protect medical data, access to a child's profile is blocked when he/she reaches majority. Your child will need to establish his/her own account if he/she wishes to continue to use the Medgate App. However, you can still use your own user account. If you have any further questions, please call Medgate's Customer Service Center at +41 61 377 88 28. Documents created before the age of majority cannot be viewed at a later date.

Teleconsultations with a Medgate doctor are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – also from countries outside Switzerland.

In a medical emergency, you can speak directly to our medical team. To do this, click on the home screen on the red button «Emergency SOS».

1. Select the function «Book a teleconsultation» on the home screen.
2. Select the desired profile.
3. Our digital assistant then guides you via the app.
4. Enter your symptoms and you will receive a recommendation whether treatment by a Medgate doctor (via phone, video or chat) or a referral to your family doctor is appropriate..
5. If a teleconsultation is recommended, you can make an appointment right away. Select the language spoken by the doctor and a date that is convenient for you. The availability of an appointment may depend on the language that you choose. Please note that in some alternative insurance plans you will not receive a recommendation in the app. In these cases, please enter your symptoms and you will be forwarded directly to the appointment booking section.

A Medgate doctor will contact you by phone or video at the appointment arranged via the app. The doctor will spend time with you, discuss your symptoms and questions, and give you competent advice and treatment. If medically appropriate, our doctors can also issue a prescription for medication, a prescription for physiotherapy or a sick leave certificate. After the consultation, you will receive the treatment plan that was agreed between you and the doctor via the Medgate App (provided that your profile has been verified).

Type your symptoms as keywords. Please also specify the duration and intensity of your symptoms. Please note that Medgate does not check the medical urgency of your symptoms.

You will receive push notifications via the Medgate app in the following situations:

1. When the doctor has taken care of your request: generally, you will be contacted within the next few minutes.
2. If a scheduled teleconsultation is delayed: you will receive a new appointment five minutes before the end of the agreed time slot.
3. If you have created a profile for a child who is about to reach legal majority.
4. If a scheduled consultation needs to be cancelled.
5. If additional documents are required for verification.
6. Upon receipt and changes to the treatment plan. Allow the app to receive push notifications. Go to your device settings.

If our doctors cannot reach you, they will try to call again. If you still cannot be reached at the second attempt, the time slot will be made available for another patient. In that case, please call us directly with the telephone icon in the top right corner.

We make every effort to prevent delays. However, if there is an unusually high number of urgent medical inquiries or staff absences, a scheduled call may be delayed despite good planning. If this happens, you will receive information on your app about the date and time of the new call. If your health has deteriorated in the meantime or it is impossible for you to wait for a later call, please contact us via the phone symbol in the top right corner.

If you are unable to be present for an appointment, please cancel it as soon as possible: Under the heading "More", select "My consultations". Select the appointment that you want to cancel. Select the function "Cancel", right at the bottom of the screen. Cancelling an appointment is free.

Consultations can be arranged in German, French, Italian, and English. However, it may happen that an appointment is not available in every language at all times. This occurs when all available appointments in a specific language have already been allocated for a particular time slot.

Specialists from various disciplines such as general medicine, internal medicine, gynaecology, paediatrics (children's and adolescent medicine), and dermatology work at Medgate.

Make sure that you are in a location with a good Internet connection or where you have access to a Wi-Fi network. The quality of the video images depends on the strength of the data transmission.

The doctor will try to call you again soon. If you cannot be reached, the doctor will call you on the phone number stored in the app. You can find this number under «More» > «Settings» > «Contact details». If you cannot be reached a third time, the appointment will be released for other patients. If you were unavailable or notice the call later, please contact us via the Administrative Questions button on the app's home screen.

The doctor will try to contact you again soon via a video connection. If you cannot be reached, the doctor will call you on the phone number stored in the app. You can find this in «More» > «Settings» > «Contact details». If our doctor can no longer reach you, please contact Medgate via the Administrative questions button on the app's home page screen.

A video consultation is like any consultation with a doctor €“ it is subject to medical confidentiality and data protection. The transferred data is encrypted.

For legal reasons, you are not permitted to record a medical consultation.

With the use of artificial intelligence, you will automatically be asked about your symptoms in the Medgate App. You’ll then receive a recommendation as to whether a teleconsultation with a Medgate doctor or a visit to your general practitioner makes sense. The decision-making aid for patients is primarily intended to reduce costs and duplication.

With the use of artificial intelligence, the Medgate App asks you automated questions about your symptoms. You will then receive a recommendation for further treatment. This recommendation is suitable for all individuals aged 16 and over. For children and adolescents under 16 years, this function is deactivated.

Photos, documents, or recordings can help our doctors better understand your concern. Please consider the following points:

• Take at least three photos of your symptoms.
  • From a distance
  • Up close
  • From the side (to show any elevations)
• Place a coin or ruler in the field of view as a reference size.
• Ensure the photo is not too dark or blurry.
• If only one side of the body is affected, also take a photo of the unaffected side for comparison (e.g., hands, feet, knees, eyes).
• The face and genital area should not be photographed if these parts are not affected by the current health complaint. If this is not possible for the area selected, please cover the genitalarea – especially if the patient is a child.
• Get help from someone if necessary, or use a tripod and self-timer. If your smartphone uses the "Live Photos" function, turn it off.

Uploading Photos and Documents

Upload photos, videos, or documents for your upcoming teleconsultation to help our doctors provide you with the best possible care. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to upload photos, videos, and documents on the Medgate upload portal.

1. Upload Request
   You will receive a link via email and SMS before your consultation, which will allow you to access the Medgate upload portal.
   Important: Uploading photos, videos, and documents is possible until the end of a teleconsultation.
2. Enter Date of Birth
   Enter your date of birth on the upload portal.
3. Upload Photos and Documents
   
   • Drag your files into the "Add files" field or click in the field to upload and select the desired files.
   • You can upload up to 10 files, each with a maximum size of 10 MB. Supported file formats are pdf, jpeg, jpg, png, wav, mov, mp3, mp4, webm.
   • Click the "Upload" button to upload the selected files and transmit them to the Medgate doctor.

Download Documents

The documents from your last teleconsultation with Medgate are now available for download. Here we explain step by step how to download documents from the Medgate Download Portal.

1. Download Prompt
   After your teleconsultation, you will receive a link via email. Click on the link in the email. The Medgate Download Portal will open. At the same time, you will receive an SMS with a confirmation code.
2. Enter the confirmation code
   Enter the confirmation code received via SMS on the portal to log in. The confirmation code is valid for seven days.
3. Download documents
   Once you are logged in, you can download your documents.
   
   To download documents again, please use the link from your email and the corresponding SMS code again. Your documents are available for up to seven days after your teleconsultation.

The treatment plan is a summary of the procedure arranged with Medgate for optimal treatment of your medical concern. It contains medical recommendations as well as any further doctor's teleconsultations.

You can find your treatment plan under the menu item «Treatments». If several treatment plans are available, they are displayed one below the other.

To access your treatment plan, you must verify your profile for reasons of data protection and medical confidentiality.

If the treatment period agreed with Medgate is not sufficient, you have two weeks before the end of the treatment period to prolong it by one month.

If you cannot find a treating doctor in the Medgate App, please contact our Customer Service Center by phone at +41 61 377 88 28. We will find the treating doctor for you. Tip: search for the doctor by entering only the city, the street or the doctor's first name in the search field.

If medically appropriate, the Medgate doctor can issue a prescription after a telephone consultation. Medical certificates to confirm incapacity for work are issued at the discretion of the doctor and are subject to strict guidelines. The guidelines for the issue of a medical certificate are:

Medical certificate after a teleconsultation

Excerpt from Medgate’s guidelines

• The Medgate physician may only certify facts that he believes to be true based on careful and expert appraisal.
• The medical certificate is only valid as proof of the certified incapacity for work after the employer has accepted it.
• A certificate for 100 % incapacity for work can be issued. Partial incapacity for work cannot be assessed over the phone or video.
• Medgate will issue a simple medical certificate. This is based on the certificate published by the Swiss Insurance Medicine syndicate.

As a rule, it is not possible to issue retroactive certificates; the certificate of incapacity for work is only possible from the date of the first contact with Medgate.

No, employers can refuse certificates issued via telemedicine (this is noted on the certificate of incapacity for work).

If medically appropriate, our doctors can issue a prescription following a teleconsultation. The prescription is issued at the doctor's discretion and according to our guidelines. Medgate issues both standard paper prescriptions and e-prescriptions (PDF format). After a teleconsultation, the paper prescription will be sent directly to the pharmacy of your choice. The e-prescription is available via our Medgate app under «Treatments» > «Documents». You can print the e-prescription, forward it by email or save it on your smartphone.

You can order a new prescription or renew a prescription for yourself or another stored profile under «Request prescription» on the home screen.

No, strict guidelines apply. For example, we do not prescribe medications of group A+ or medications that require frequent or regular examinations (blood tests, physical examinations).

If a teleconsultation indicates that further medical treatment is required, our doctors refer you to a doctor of your choice. Alternatively, we would be happy to recommend a doctor in the Medgate Partner Network. Please note that a free choice of doctor may be limited in some alternative insurance plans.

You can report the referral either via the chat function in the Medgate app or by phone.

Appointment reports can be made either via the chat function in the Medgate app (section "Services", "Clarify administrative question") or by phone at the patient reception.

If you are insured in a telemedicine model and have a reporting obligation for treatments, every referral must be reported.

The consultation is billed as part of the statutory health insurance benefits (analogous to a visit to a doctor's practice) and is recognized by all Swiss health insurers. A teleconsultation costs on average CHF 50.00. In certain insurance models with our partner health insurers there are not even any franchise or deductible costs. Depending on the mobile phone service provider, a video consultation may incur data transmission fees, which is why we recommend that you connect to a WiFi network. If you are abroad at the time of the teleconsultation, you may need to pay additional telephone or roaming costs. In this case we recommend that you book a video consultation and connect to a WiFi network.

The app user pays for data transfer. Please note that extra charges may apply if you use the app outside Switzerland. Check with your phone company for roaming charges.

We do not charge for canceled appointments. However, we do ask you to cancel appointments that you cannot attend in good time, so that they are available for other patients.

Yes. All our doctors have several years of clinical experience, are specially trained in telemedicine and licensed. They are supported in their work by evidence-based and established medical guidelines as well as state-of-the-art information and communications technology.

During the development of the Medgate App, great care was taken to ensure that the app complies with the current data protection regulations. All data are encrypted and transmitted securely. The data in the app are also protected from third-party access by a password. Additionally, the user must identify themselves with an ID card and an insurance card to access the full functionality of the app.

To use the app securely and have access to all its functions, make sure you've activated automatic updates and that your operating system is in its original state.

Data protection and the safeguarding of medical confidentiality are of paramount importance to Medgate and are guaranteed at all times. Medgate is subject to the guidelines that apply to any medical practice.

Your contact with Medgate is fully documented for our quality control and your security. Of course, all our employees are subject to medical confidentiality and adhere strictly to the data protection regulations. For more information, visit: Data protection

Yes, data transfer is protected. The dialog is transferred with an encryption protocol (SSL). The information is stored in a protected database, kept confidential and is subject to medical confidentiality.

The card identification number enables us to retrieve your insurance information so that you do not have to enter all the details manually.

What documents are accepted? Verification is necessary to be able to release medical data (e.g., treatment plan, incapacity certificate, prescriptions, time slot entries). Verification ensures that the data is not made available to an unauthorized person. Accepted documents are: identity card, passport, Swiss driving license, and foreign residence permits B and C. The documents must be valid.

Identification of your child is necessary in order to display the treatment plan on the Medgate App, because medical confidentiality requires that medical data may only be given to legal guardian(s). You can provide evidence of legal guardianship with a scanned copy of the family book/ family ID card.

This is not possible as the medical confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. Only minor children of an authorized person can be added to a user account.

Consents can be revoked in the app under «More» > «Settings» on the respective button.

Medgate cannot provide information on the details of each insurance. Please contact your insurer or check the terms of the contract.

The list of doctors in the Medgate partner network can be found at: Medgate Partner Network

Please contact your insurer or check the terms of the contract.

In telemedicine models, Medgate is always the first point of contact that needs to be contacted.

Appointments are mandatory in a telemedicine model. When you report your appointment, the patient reception staff will note the appointment. The health insurance company will be able to see that the appointment was not recommended/suggested by Medgate.