Medical check-up in Switzerland: the complete guide for international patients

A successful check-up begins with a conversation, not a blood test. Before counting tests, a good doctor tries to understand who you are, what worries you, what your parents suffered from and what you expect from these few days. This guide starts from that principle: it helps you prepare for that conversation, understand what will be measured in your body, and leave with answers rather than a pile of figures.

Every year, Switzerland attracts patients from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas and Asia for a complete health assessment. They find numerous specialist doctors, grouped technical facilities and an organisation capable of condensing into one to three days what would take weeks of appointments elsewhere. They also find an abundant offer of very uneven content, in which it is easy to get lost.

This is exactly where Medespoir comes in. We are not a medical centre: we listen to your objective, look among Swiss partners for the check-up that meets it, coordinate exchanges with the medical teams and organise your stay. The doctors decide on and carry out the tests; you decide what suits you; we make sure everything runs smoothly.

A check-up is only valuable if it answers specific questions. At the end of your stay, you should be able to answer the following five questions yourself. If not, the assessment has not done its job, however many tests were carried out.

First question: am I healthy today?

It is the simplest question on the face of it, and the most demanding in reality. Answering it means examining the body's main systems, looking for common diseases that develop silently and checking that nothing requires prompt care. The expected answer is not a general "everything's fine", but a reasoned summary: what is normal, what needs monitoring, what requires action.

Second question: what are my risks for the next ten years?

Your current state of health does not tell the whole story. Slightly high blood pressure, borderline cholesterol, an expanding waistline or a family history outline a risk profile. The doctor translates it into priorities: the heart first for some, metabolism for others, cancer screening for those with a family history.

Third question: which screening tests should I have, and when?

Recommended screening depends on age, sex and family history. A good check-up carries out those that are due, explains why the others can wait, and gives you a clear schedule for the following years.

Fourth question: what can I change as soon as I return?

Results are only of value if they lead to action. Stopping smoking, walking more, changing your diet, treating sleep apnoea, reviewing a medicine: these simple decisions often weigh more than any sophisticated test.

Fifth question: who provides follow-up?

A check-up carried out far from home must fit in with your usual follow-up. You need to know which doctor to send your report to, which checks to schedule at home, and how to reach the Swiss team if a question arises.

What the Swiss setting changes in practice

These five questions can be asked anywhere. What distinguishes a check-up carried out in Switzerland is how they are answered in a short time. In many countries, obtaining an ultrasound, an exercise test, a mammogram, a colonoscopy and three specialist consultations takes several months and as many journeys. In Switzerland, these tests can be grouped on the same site or within a small area, and coordinated by a single doctor.

For a patient travelling from afar, this concentration has a direct effect: results arrive during the stay, the summary is based on the whole file, and an additional test can often be carried out before departure. The Swiss healthcare system is also renowned for its training and quality standards, and for a punctuality that makes it possible to keep to a tight programme.

These advantages come at a price: Swiss check-ups are among the most expensive, and their content varies greatly from one facility to another. Hence the value of knowing exactly what you are looking for before choosing.

All serious check-ups follow, in various forms, the same three-stage structure. Knowing it allows you to evaluate an offer in a few minutes: if one of the three stages is missing or seems rushed, be wary.

The listening stage

It begins even before you arrive, when you send your history and recent tests, and culminates at the initial consultation. The doctor, generally an internist or GP, reconstructs your history: past illnesses, operations, treatments, allergies, vaccinations, lifestyle, work, sleep, travel and concerns.

Family history has a special place. A heart attack in a father before 55, colon cancer in a sister or diabetes in several family members profoundly change the content of the assessment. Prepare this information before departure: the age at which illnesses occurred counts as much as their nature.

Listening also covers what worries you. Breathlessness on the stairs, new fatigue, a change in bowel habits, a mole that is changing: these signals, however small, guide what follows. A check-up is not for emergencies, but it is the right time to mention things you keep putting off.

Finally, listening continues throughout the stay. A good coordinating doctor adapts the programme to what they discover: adding a test that has become useful, removing another that no longer is.

The measuring stage

This is the most visible part: samples, electrocardiogram, ultrasounds, exercise tests, screening and specialist consultations. In Switzerland, these tests are often grouped on the same site or nearby and carried out according to a precise timetable.

Measurement follows a logic: first what requires fasting, then tests at rest, and finally those that require exertion or sedation. Not everything is measured, only what can change a decision. This is the difference between a medical check-up and a catalogue of tests.

The decision stage

This is the most important moment and, paradoxically, the one most often neglected in commercial offers. At the results review, the doctor brings the results together, interprets them as a whole, distinguishes the essential from the incidental and proposes a plan.

This stage deserves to be protected. A results review rushed through in ten minutes, or simply sending results without comment, deprives the check-up of most of its value. When comparing offers, ask how much time is set aside for this consultation, and who conducts it.

The conductor: the coordinating doctor

Behind the three stages of the check-up stands a key person: the coordinating doctor, most often an internist or GP. They conduct the initial consultation, choose or adjust the tests, liaise with specialists and write the final summary.

Without them, a check-up becomes a collection of separate opinions: the cardiologist comments on the heart, the radiologist on the ultrasound, the gynaecologist on the gynaecological examination, each separately. With them, results are read together. Slightly high blood pressure, borderline cholesterol, snoring and an expanding waistline stop being four separate pieces of information and become a single message: your priority is cardiovascular.

When comparing offers, ask who provides this coordination, whether it is the same doctor from the first to the last consultation, and how to reach them after you return.

What a check-up is not

To approach these days with the right expectations, it is better to know what a check-up cannot offer.

• It is not a guarantee. A normal assessment describes your state at a given time; it does not rule out a disease appearing later, or a rare condition going unnoticed.
• It is not an emergency consultation. Chest pain, sudden breathlessness or bleeding require immediate care, not an appointment in three weeks.
• It is not a treatment. Long-term treatment decisions fall to your usual doctor and specialists.
• It is not an accumulation. More tests do not mean more health; they can even mean more false alarms.

For many patients, the unknown is the main source of apprehension. Here, told from the inside, is the typical day of a fictional patient, Nadia, 51, who came from Lyon for a complete check-up in Geneva. Times are indicative; each facility organises its day in its own way.

6.45 a.m. The alarm goes off at the hotel. Nadia has eaten nothing since the evening before, as instructed. She drinks a glass of water, takes her thyroid medication with the written permission she was given, and slips into her bag the folder prepared at home: list of treatments, report of her last mammogram, vaccination record and questions noted on a sheet.

7.30 a.m. Reception at the facility. A coordinator checks her identity, gives her the day's programme and takes her to the laboratory. Blood test, urine sample: in ten minutes, it is done.

8.00 a.m. Abdominal ultrasound, still fasting. Lying down, with cold gel on her abdomen, Nadia watches the images of her liver, kidneys and gallbladder on the screen. The radiologist comments as the examination proceeds: nothing in particular, apart from a small simple cyst on one kidney, "very common and of no consequence".

8.45 a.m. Breakfast at last. Fasting is over for the day.

9.30 a.m. Initial consultation with the internist coordinating her check-up. The interview lasts nearly an hour. History, treatments, sleep, recent menopause, stress at work, physical activity, family history: her mother had breast cancer at 62. The doctor examines her from head to toe, measures her blood pressure in both arms, feels her thyroid and listens to her heart. She confirms the programme and adds a bone density scan, given the menopause.

10.45 a.m. Electrocardiogram, spirometry, eyesight and eye pressure check. Quick tests, completed in forty minutes.

11.30 a.m. Mammogram and breast ultrasound, compared with the images Nadia brought. The comparison reassures the radiologist: no change.

12.30 p.m. Lunch by the lake and a walk along the quays. The programme has included a real break.

2.00 p.m. Gynaecological consultation, smear test and HPV test. The gynaecologist takes time to discuss the hot flushes that disturb her nights and explains the possible options, to be discussed later with her gynaecologist in Lyon.

3.00 p.m. Bone density scan: five minutes lying on a table, painless.

3.30 p.m. Complete dermatological examination, with dermoscopy of her moles. Only one attracts attention; it is photographed for comparison at the next assessment.

4.30 p.m. First laboratory results available. The coordinating doctor gives a quick update: slightly high LDL cholesterol, low vitamin D, the rest normal. The full results review will take place the next morning, after the colonoscopy.

6.00 p.m. Back to the hotel. Liquid dinner and bowel preparation, according to the instructions received. A quiet evening.

The next day, 8.00 a.m. Colonoscopy under sedation, twenty-five minutes. A small polyp is removed and sent to the laboratory. Nadia rests for two hours, then joins the results review.

11.00 a.m. The coordinating doctor goes over everything: slightly reduced bone density, to be managed with physical activity, vitamin D and follow-up; cholesterol to be monitored given her overall risk; a polyp whose result will be communicated within a week; and a precise schedule for her next screening tests. Nadia leaves with three written priorities and the date of a phone appointment for the polyp result.

This account illustrates what a well-organised check-up is: a smooth sequence, tests chosen for a reason, time to talk, and a conclusion that fits into a few lines.

Rather than listing tests, this chapter follows the body. For each organ or system, you will find why it deserves attention, what doctors look for, how the tests are carried out and what you can do yourself. Not all these tests concern you: the doctor chooses those that make sense for you.

The heart and blood vessels

Cardiovascular diseases remain one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and they have one particular feature: they develop over years without any symptoms. A plaque forms in an artery, blood pressure rises gradually and cholesterol builds up, until the day a heart attack or stroke occurs. The check-up seeks to detect this process as early as possible.

The doctor starts with the essentials: blood pressure in both arms, listening to the heart, feeling the pulses and a resting electrocardiogram. They then combine your laboratory results (cholesterol, blood sugar) with your age, sex, smoking and family history to estimate your overall risk. It is this risk, rather than an isolated value, that guides what follows.

Depending on this risk, further tests may be offered. Echocardiography shows the size of the heart, the contraction of its walls and how the valves work; it is useful if there is a murmur, long-standing high blood pressure or breathlessness. The exercise test observes the heart when it is asked to work harder. Carotid ultrasound looks for plaques in the arteries of the neck, a sign of more general vascular disease. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring over 24 hours reveals hidden high blood pressure or, on the contrary, the "white coat" effect that pushes readings up at the doctor's. Finally, the calcium score uses a scan to measure calcification in the heart's arteries in some people whose risk is difficult to classify.

To report before the check-up:

• unusual breathlessness on exertion or chest discomfort, even brief;
• palpitations or feeling faint;
• legs that swell in the evening;
• a heart attack, stroke or sudden death in a close relative, with the age at which it occurred;
• any treatment that slows the heart, as it changes the interpretation of the exercise test.

What depends on you is considerable: stopping smoking, regular physical activity, a diet rich in plant foods and low in salt, weight control and taking prescribed treatments regularly markedly reduce the risk. The check-up gives you the starting figures to measure your progress.

Metabolism: sugar, fats and weight

Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, high cholesterol and abdominal excess weight form a family of disorders that reinforce one another. They are often silent for years and pave the way for cardiovascular, kidney and liver disease.

The check-up assesses them with a few simple but powerful measurements: fasting blood sugar and glycated haemoglobin, which reflects average blood sugar over about three months; a lipid profile; waist circumference; and body composition, which distinguishes fat mass from muscle mass. Some centres add an insulin test or resting calorimetry, which measures energy expenditure.

The lipid profile deserves some explanation. LDL cholesterol is the kind that is deposited in artery walls; it is the main one to keep under control, with a target that depends on your overall risk. HDL cholesterol helps remove it. Triglycerides reflect more recent diet, alcohol and sugar metabolism. In people with an early family history, the doctor may request a once-in-a-lifetime test for lipoprotein(a), a largely hereditary risk factor.

To report before the check-up: unusual thirst, frequent urination, recent unexplained weight gain or loss, gestational diabetes in a past pregnancy, diabetes in a parent.

What depends on you: regular physical activity, muscle strengthening, reducing added sugars and ultra-processed products, and particular attention to waist circumference. A nutrition consultation during the stay can turn these principles into advice suited to your cooking, travel and work schedule.

The liver and digestion

The liver is the silent organ par excellence. Steatosis, or "fatty liver", has become much more common with excess weight and diabetes; it can progress to fibrosis and then cirrhosis without any symptoms. Viral hepatitis B and C can also go unnoticed for decades.

The check-up assesses the liver through liver enzymes in the blood and abdominal ultrasound. When steatosis is found, elastography, an ultrasound test with no needle or radiation, measures liver stiffness and estimates the degree of fibrosis. Depending on your history and country of origin, the doctor may suggest testing for viral hepatitis.

For the rest of the digestive system, gastroscopy, which examines the oesophagus and stomach, is not a routine screening test. It is discussed in the case of long-standing reflux, difficulty swallowing, persistent stomach pain or particular history. It can then be carried out under the same sedation as a colonoscopy.

To report: regular alcohol consumption, even moderate, a history of hepatitis, a past transfusion, frequent reflux, loss of appetite or weight.

What depends on you: reducing alcohol, losing weight if you have steatosis, moving more. The liver has a remarkable capacity to recover when the cause of the damage disappears.

The colon and rectum

Colorectal cancer is one of the common cancers, and one for which screening has best demonstrated its value. The reason is simple: most of these cancers develop from polyps that take years to change. Removing them in time prevents cancer from appearing.

There are two approaches. The faecal immunochemical test looks for invisible blood in the stool; it is done at home or on site, and must be followed by a colonoscopy if positive. Colonoscopy directly examines the whole colon with a flexible camera and allows polyps to be removed at the same time. It is generally offered from 50, earlier with a family history.

To report: blood in the stool, a lasting change in bowel habits, anaemia, colorectal cancer or polyps in a parent, anticoagulant treatment.

What depends on you: keeping to screening ages, eating fibre, limiting processed meat and alcohol, and moving. And never waiting for a check-up to report digestive bleeding.

The kidneys and urinary tract

The kidneys filter the blood continuously. Their gradual deterioration, often linked to high blood pressure or diabetes, only shows at an advanced stage. The check-up looks for it with three simple measurements: creatinine in the blood, which allows the filtration rate to be calculated; testing for protein in the urine, an early sign of kidney damage; and a kidney ultrasound.

Urine analysis also screens for invisible blood, infection or sugar. In men over 50, the doctor takes an interest in urinary problems linked to enlargement of the prostate, which are common and often kept quiet out of embarrassment.

To report: repeated urinary infections, kidney stones, regular use of anti-inflammatories, foamy urine, frequent getting up at night.

What depends on you: controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, drinking enough, avoiding prolonged use of anti-inflammatories without medical advice.

The lungs

Chronic respiratory diseases often develop quietly, especially in smokers and former smokers. Breathlessness attributed to age or lack of fitness may reveal early chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or unrecognised asthma.

Spirometry is the key test: you blow hard and long into a mouthpiece connected to a device that measures air volumes and flows. The test can be repeated after inhaling a bronchodilator to clarify the diagnosis. In smokers and former heavy smokers, the doctor may discuss a low-dose chest scan for lung cancer screening; it is not recommended for non-smokers with no particular risk factor.

To report: a lasting cough, phlegm, new breathlessness, occupational exposure to dust or fumes, the number of years you have smoked.

What depends on you: stopping smoking remains by far the most effective measure. The check-up is an excellent opportunity to get structured support.

The thyroid and hormones

The thyroid sets the body's pace. Its imbalances, common especially in women, can explain fatigue, weight gain or loss, palpitations, feeling cold, and mood or bowel problems. A TSH blood test is generally enough to screen for them.

When feeling the neck reveals a nodule or the results are abnormal, a thyroid ultrasound is added. Thyroid nodules are very common and almost always benign; the doctor indicates those that warrant monitoring or further tests.

Other hormone tests are not routine. They are discussed depending on symptoms: menstrual problems, signs of menopause, reduced libido or energy in men, rapid weight gain.

To report: unusual fatigue, weight changes, palpitations, discomfort in the neck, current or past thyroid treatment.

Bones, muscles and balance

Bones gradually lose density with age, more quickly in women after menopause. Osteoporosis is painless; it reveals itself through a fracture of the wrist, a vertebra or the hip. Muscles, for their part, slowly waste from the forties if they are not used. Together, bones and muscles determine independence in the years to come.

Bone densitometry measures the mineral density of the hip and spine in a few minutes, with a very low dose of X-rays. It is offered mainly to post-menopausal women, people who have taken long-term corticosteroids or who have already had a fracture after a minor fall. Vitamin D and calcium tests complete the assessment.

Some centres also measure grip strength, walking speed, balance on one leg or the ability to stand up from a chair. These simple tests are good indicators of overall health and the risk of falling, particularly after 65.

To report: a fracture after a fall from a low height, loss of height, recent falls, corticosteroid treatment, early menopause.

What depends on you: muscle-strengthening and balance exercises, regular walking, sufficient intake of protein, calcium and vitamin D, and stopping smoking.

Legs, veins and feet

The legs say a great deal about the health of the blood vessels. Varicose veins, heavy legs in the evening or swollen ankles can reflect venous insufficiency. Calf pain when walking that eases on stopping may, on the other hand, reveal narrowing of the arteries, often associated with smoking and diabetes.

The doctor checks the pulses in the legs and may measure the ankle-brachial index, which compares blood pressure at the ankle and the arm: a simple, painless test that screens for early arterial disease. A Doppler ultrasound of the veins or arteries is offered if needed.

In people with diabetes, examining the feet is essential: sensation, skin condition, nails and deformities. Loss of sensation exposes you to wounds that go unnoticed. Regular examination and suitable care prevent serious complications.

To report: pain when walking, night cramps, swelling legs, a past phlebitis, a wound that heals poorly, tingling in the feet.

What depends on you: walking every day, stopping smoking, raising your legs at the end of the day, wearing suitable shoes and moving regularly on long flights.

The skin

The skin is the only organ that can be examined entirely with the naked eye, yet it is one of the most neglected. Skin cancers are common, notably in people with fair skin, sun exposure or many moles. Detected early, most are simple to treat.

The complete dermatological examination covers the whole surface of the skin, including the scalp, nails and soles of the feet. The dermatoscope, an illuminated magnifier, allows the structure of moles to be analysed. Some centres carry out photographic mapping, useful for comparing changes from year to year.

To report: a mole that changes shape, size or colour, itches or bleeds; a wound that does not heal; severe sunburn in childhood; melanoma in the family.

What depends on you: protecting yourself from the sun, avoiding sunbeds and examining your skin regularly between check-ups. Come without nail varnish or make-up on the day of the examination.

The eyes

Several eye diseases progress without pain or discomfort before causing irreversible damage. Glaucoma is the classic example: pressure inside the eye slowly damages the optic nerve, and loss of peripheral vision long goes unnoticed. Diabetes and high blood pressure can also affect the retina.

The eye check includes measuring visual acuity and eye pressure and examining the back of the eye. It is recommended from about 40, earlier with a family history of glaucoma or severe short-sightedness.

To report: flashes of light, spots in the field of vision, rapid loss of vision, glaucoma in the family, diabetes.

With age, other subjects arise: presbyopia, which makes close reading difficult from the forties, then cataract, a gradual clouding of the lens that blurs vision and is treated surgically when it becomes troublesome. Age-related macular degeneration, which affects central vision, is detected by examining the back of the eye. Good vision also matters for safety: night driving, stairs and fall prevention.

The ears

Hearing loss develops gradually, and those around you often notice it before you do. It is not trivial: it isolates, tires and weighs on working and social life. An audiogram measures in a few minutes your ability to perceive different frequencies.

To report: tinnitus, difficulty following a conversation in noise, prolonged exposure to noise at work or during leisure activities.

Uncorrected hearing loss tires, isolates and weighs on social and working life. It is also among the factors associated, in major studies, with cognitive decline. When detected, a specialist assessment and, if needed, hearing aids can transform daily life. Today's hearing aids are discreet and finely adjusted to the measured loss.

The brain, mood and sleep

The brain is not examined like any other organ, but several of its functions can be assessed: sleep quality, stress levels, mood and, in older or worried people, memory and attention.

Sleep deserves particular attention. Sleep apnoea, repeated pauses in breathing during the night, is common and widely underdiagnosed. It causes fatigue, sleepiness, high blood pressure and heart rhythm disorders. An overnight recording, sometimes possible at the hotel with a portable device, allows it to be screened for.

Chronic stress and burnout are common reasons for executives to have a check-up. The interview allows them to be discussed, validated questionnaires help measure their impact, and some centres use heart rate variability as an indicator of recovery. If a mood disorder or burnout is present, the doctor refers you to a professional who can provide follow-up in your country.

For memory, short orientation tests can be offered to those who wish. The doctor focuses mainly on modifiable factors associated with brain health: blood pressure, hearing, physical activity, isolation, sleep and alcohol consumption.

To report: snoring with pauses in breathing noticed by others, daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, lasting low mood, forgetfulness that worries you.

Breasts and gynaecological health

For women, the check-up includes a gynaecological consultation whose content depends on age. The cervical smear and HPV test screen for precancerous lesions of the cervix, which are easy to treat at this stage. Pelvic ultrasound examines the uterus and ovaries when useful.

Mammography is the reference test for breast cancer screening, generally from 50, earlier and sometimes with other tests if there is a significant family risk. It can be complemented by ultrasound if the breasts are dense. Avoid deodorant, cream and talc on the day of the test, and bring your previous images.

The consultation is also the time to discuss contraception, menstrual problems, perimenopause and menopause. Hot flushes, sleep problems, dryness and mood changes deserve to be mentioned: solutions exist, to be discussed case by case.

The prostate and men's health

After 50, men face two separate questions. The first is benign enlargement of the prostate, which causes common and troublesome urinary symptoms: weak stream, urgency, getting up at night. The second is prostate cancer.

Screening for this cancer by PSA testing is a matter of shared decision-making. It can detect aggressive cancers early, but also tumours that would never have progressed, at the cost of biopsies and treatments whose side effects are real. The doctor sets out these points, then you decide together. With a family history, the discussion starts earlier.

The consultation can also cover fertility, reduced libido or energy, and erection problems. The latter deserve to be reported: they can be an early sign of arterial disease.

Mouth and teeth

Oral health is often forgotten in check-ups, even though gum disease is associated with several general diseases, notably cardiovascular and metabolic. Some centres offer a dental check; otherwise, the doctor may recommend a consultation in your country if examination of the mouth justifies it.

Allergies and the immune system

Allergies are not part of routine screening, but they deserve to be reported and sometimes investigated. An allergy to a medicine, an iodinated contrast agent or latex changes how certain tests are carried out. A poorly controlled respiratory allergy can explain a cough or breathlessness attributed to something else.

If you suffer from rhinitis, asthma, eczema or food reactions, the doctor may suggest an allergy consultation or targeted tests. Also report repeated infections, which may justify an assessment of the immune system.

To report: any past reaction to a medicine or test, with its nature; severe food allergies; carrying an adrenaline pen in your luggage.

Blood, vaccines and silent infections

A full blood count screens for anaemia or abnormalities of white blood cells or platelets. Ferritin, vitamin B12 and sometimes folic acid explore common causes of fatigue. Depending on your history, travel and country of origin, the doctor may suggest testing for certain silent infections, such as viral hepatitis or HIV, always with your consent.

Finally, the consultation is an opportunity to check your vaccinations: tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, flu, pneumococcus or shingles depending on age, as well as travel-related vaccines. Bring your vaccination record if you have it.

Nothing better illustrates the need for a personalised check-up than the variety of people who ask for one. The six profiles below are fictional examples, inspired by the requests we receive most often. They show how the same word, "check-up", can cover very different programmes. The actual content of each assessment is always set by the medical team.

Karim, 46, company director in Casablanca

Karim travels a lot, sleeps little and has not had an assessment for ten years. His father had a heart attack at 58. He has no complaints, but his wife notices that he snores loudly and falls asleep in front of the television.

His check-up is organised around two priorities: the heart and sleep. After the consultation and laboratory tests, the cardiologist carries out an echocardiogram, an exercise test and a carotid ultrasound. A sleep recording is set up at the hotel on the second night. The screening due at his age is completed with a skin examination.

What Karim takes away: a cardiovascular risk to be taken seriously given his family history, LDL cholesterol to bring down with his doctor, and sleep apnoea that explains his fatigue and warrants treatment. Three clear actions, rather than a list of figures.

What Karim did next: he sent his report to his doctor in Casablanca, who organised treatment for his sleep apnoea and a cholesterol check after three months. He took up brisk walking three times a week again. His next assessment is planned in two years.

Hélène, 54, teacher in Montreal

Hélène has been post-menopausal for two years. She sleeps badly, has hot flushes and is worried about her bones, as her mother had a hip fracture. She has never had a colonoscopy.

Her programme combines a general assessment, a gynaecological consultation with a smear and HPV test, a mammogram, densitometry and a screening colonoscopy, grouped over three days. Bowel preparation is planned for the evening before the colonoscopy, and the last morning is reserved for the results review.

What Hélène takes away: reduced bone density justifying preventive measures to discuss with her doctor, options to relieve her menopausal symptoms, and a normal colon, with the next colonoscopy in several years. She leaves with a schedule covering the decade ahead.

What Hélène did next: she started a muscle-strengthening programme, discussed options for her menopausal symptoms with her gynaecologist, and noted the dates of her next screening tests in her diary.

Ousmane, 38, engineer working abroad in Singapore

Ousmane lives far from his country of origin and changes country every three years. His medical follow-up is fragmented: a different doctor at each stage, no complete file. He wants to take advantage of a stay in Europe to take stock.

His check-up is shorter and simpler: an in-depth consultation, comprehensive laboratory tests including testing for certain infections according to his history and travel, electrocardiogram, spirometry, eye check and vaccination update. The doctor spends time reconstructing his history and giving him a summary file he can present anywhere.

What Ousmane takes away: a reassuring assessment, vaccinations brought up to date and, above all, a single document that finally summarises his health. For him, the value of the check-up lies as much in this file as in the tests themselves.

What Ousmane did next: he saved his summary file on his phone and presented it at his first consultation in his new country of posting, which avoided repeating several tests.

Leila and Samir, 61 and 64, retired in Riyadh

The couple want to have their check-up together, during a stay by Lake Geneva. Samir has treated diabetes and high blood pressure; Leila has no known illness, but a brother had colon cancer at a young age.

Their programmes are organised in parallel, with separate results reviews. Samir's checks for diabetes complications: examination of the back of the eye, kidney function, in-depth cardiovascular assessment, foot examination and a review of all his treatments. Leila's focuses on colonoscopy, given the family history, as well as mammography and densitometry.

What they take away: for Samir, a treatment adjustment to discuss with his diabetologist and an annual retina check; for Leila, a polyp removed during colonoscopy and closer monitoring than average.

What the couple did next: Samir reviewed his treatment with his diabetologist and scheduled an annual retina check; Leila told her children about the family history, so that they could mention it to their own doctor.

Claire, 33, lawyer in Paris

Claire is training for a marathon and wants to check that her heart can cope with the exertion. She also plans a pregnancy within two years.

Her check-up focuses on sports medicine and preconception: consultation, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, an exercise test with oxygen consumption measurement, laboratory tests including iron and certain serology, and a vaccination check. No test involving X-rays is needed.

What Claire takes away: a heart perfectly suited to exertion, precise training zones for her preparation, an iron deficiency to correct before pregnancy and a vaccination to update.

What Claire did next: she adjusted her training according to the zones given by the sports doctor, corrected her iron deficiency with her doctor, and finished her marathon a few months later.

Thomas, 72, retired company director in Brussels

Thomas is in good shape but takes seven medicines prescribed by four different doctors. He had a fall last winter and his family is worried.

His check-up focuses on independence: assessment of balance, strength and walking, densitometry, hearing, vision, short memory tests and, above all, a complete review of his treatments. The cardiologist checks his heart rhythm, as some falls have a cardiac cause.

What Thomas takes away: two medicines that have become unnecessary, to be stopped with his doctor, hearing loss to be fitted with hearing aids, a programme of balance exercises, and early osteoporosis to be treated. This assessment reduces his risk of another fall far more than a sophisticated imaging test would have.

What Thomas did next: with his doctor, he stopped two medicines, was fitted with hearing aids and attended physiotherapy sessions focused on balance. His family was involved in the plan, with his agreement.

The priorities of a health assessment change with age. This chapter does not replace a doctor's advice, but it helps you know what you are entitled to expect at each stage of life.

In your thirties: laying the foundations

At this age, the check-up mainly serves to establish baseline values and identify risk factors before they leave their mark. Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, weight, smoking, alcohol, sleep and work stress: everything measured today will serve as a point of comparison for decades.

The assessment is generally short. It takes on particular importance with an early family history of heart disease, diabetes or cancer, which may justify tests earlier than average. It is also the time to discuss vaccination, sexual health and, for women, possible pregnancy plans.

In your forties: the silent turning point

This is the decade when many risk factors begin to express themselves without yet making themselves felt. Blood pressure rises, waist circumference increases, cholesterol goes up and sleep deteriorates with responsibilities. Cardiovascular assessment becomes more important, as do checks of blood sugar, the liver and eye pressure.

In women, perimenopause may begin and deserves to be discussed. In men, the discussion about prostate health may start depending on history. This is often the decade when a check-up brings the greatest prevention "gains", as there is still plenty of time to correct course.

In your fifties: the decade of screening

Screening for common cancers becomes central: colon, breast, cervix, skin, and discussion of prostate screening. A check-up allows them to be grouped into a single stay, rather than spread over months of appointments.

Bone health comes into play, particularly in women after menopause, and cardiovascular assessment goes deeper if the risk justifies it. Vision, hearing and sleep warrant a check.

In your sixties: preventing chronic disease

Screening continues according to recommendations, and attention turns to chronic diseases: high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney failure and arrhythmias. For those affected, the check-up looks for complications and reviews all treatments.

Physical activity, muscle mass and balance become subjects in their own right. Vaccines recommended from this age are checked.

From 70: preserving independence

The check-up changes in nature. It focuses less on an exhaustive search for disease than on preserving independence and quality of life: walking, balance, strength, memory, hearing, vision, nutrition, mood and reviewing treatments, which are often numerous.

Some screening loses its value beyond a certain age, depending on general health; the doctor discusses this with you. The aim is to live well, for as long as possible, according to your own priorities. If you would like to go beyond screening, with biological age markers, recovery and personalised nutrition, see our guide to longevity treatments in Switzerland.

Doctors around the world have gradually agreed on a simple idea: some tests bring a great deal, others little, and some can even do harm when carried out without reason. A good check-up is recognised as much by the tests it avoids as by those it offers.

What makes screening useful

Doctors rely on a few simple criteria, long formulated by public health, to judge the value of screening. They help you understand why some tests are recommended and others are not.

• The disease must be common or serious, so that looking for it is worthwhile.
• It must have a silent phase during which it can be detected before symptoms appear.
• The test must be reliable, with few false positives and false negatives.
• A more effective treatment must exist when the disease is found early.
• The benefits must outweigh the drawbacks: worry, further tests, overdiagnosis.

Colorectal cancer screening meets these criteria very well. Prostate cancer screening meets them in a more debated way, hence shared decision-making. Whole-body MRI in a person without symptoms does not meet them, which explains why it is not recommended routinely.

High-value tests

These tests appear in most serious check-ups, or are offered as soon as age or profile justifies them. They are simple, reliable and can change a decision.

Tests to discuss according to profile

These tests are genuinely valuable in certain situations, but not for everyone. Their indication depends on your risk, symptoms or history.

Tests that can wait

Some tests are regularly offered in commercial packages, even though their value is low or uncertain in a person without symptoms. Avoiding them is not saving money at the expense of your health: it is often a protection.

• Blood tumour markers for screening. They can be raised without cancer and normal when cancer is present. In a person without symptoms, they mainly generate worry and cascading tests.
• Routine whole-body MRI. It frequently finds benign abnormalities, known as "incidentalomas", which lead to further tests with no health benefit. It may be discussed in specific situations, such as a known genetic predisposition.
• Routine X-rays without indication. The routine chest X-ray, long common practice, is no longer recommended for everyone.
• Extensive hormone tests without symptoms. They produce values that are difficult to interpret out of context.
• Consumer genetic tests without medical advice. Their interpretation is delicate and their results can be misunderstood.

If one of these tests is offered to you, simply ask: what are you looking for, and what will you do if the result is abnormal? A precise answer justifies the test; a vague answer should make you think.

The cascade trap

An unnecessary test is never neutral. Take a common example: an MRI carried out for no reason finds a small nodule a few millimetres across on an adrenal gland. In the vast majority of cases, this nodule is benign and would never have caused a problem. But once found, it has to be characterised: hormone tests, further imaging, sometimes monitoring for years. The patient lives with a worry they did not have, with no benefit.

This is what doctors call the diagnostic cascade. It is not rare, and it is one of the reasons why a quality check-up is built around your real needs rather than the number of tests.

Receiving a list of several dozen values, some marked in bold or with an asterisk, can be confusing. This chapter gives you the keys to understand what your results really mean, even before the results review.

What "outside the normal range" means

Reference values for a blood test are generally defined to include the vast majority of healthy people, often around 95%. This means that about one healthy person in twenty will have, for a given test, a result slightly outside these limits, with no disease at all.

Multiplied by the number of tests in a check-up, this phenomenon becomes almost inevitable: with about twenty independent parameters, it is statistically likely that at least one will be slightly outside the reference values, even in a perfectly healthy person. An asterisk is therefore not a diagnosis. It is the doctor's role to say what matters.

Conversely, a value within the normal range is not always ideal for you. LDL cholesterol that is "normal" for the general population may still be too high for a person with diabetes or who has already had a heart problem, whose target is lower. Blood sugar within the normal range but steadily rising over several years also deserves attention. Reference values are statistical benchmarks, not personal targets: it is your overall profile, and how your results change over time, that allow the doctor to set the targets that suit you. Hence the importance of bringing your previous results, even old ones, and keeping them carefully for future comparison.

Your blood tests in plain language

This table gives general guidelines. The interpretation of a value always depends on your situation, your treatments and your other results.

An isolated value, a trend

A single result is a photograph. A series of results over time is a film, far more informative. Slightly high blood sugar that has been stable for ten years does not mean the same as blood sugar rising year after year. That is why it is so valuable to keep your results and repeat the same tests, ideally under comparable conditions.

What can distort a result

Some factors change test results without your health being at issue:

• a meal eaten despite the fasting instruction, which raises blood sugar and triglycerides;
• intense physical exertion the day before, which increases certain muscle enzymes;
• dehydration, after a long flight for example, which concentrates certain parameters;
• alcohol in the preceding days, which changes liver enzymes and triglycerides;
• taking biotin, found in some supplements, which distorts several hormone tests;
• a cold or recent infection, which raises inflammation markers.

Tell the doctor about these factors: they help them interpret your results accurately and avoid an unnecessary repeat test.

The words in imaging reports

Ultrasound, CT and MRI reports use vocabulary that can cause needless worry. Here are some common expressions and their usual meaning, always to be confirmed with the doctor following you.

Knowing, or choosing not to know

A check-up can reveal information you did not expect: a predisposition, an abnormality with no immediate consequence, an incidental finding on an image. Most patients want to know everything. Others prefer not to receive certain information, for example genetic results concerning diseases with no treatment.

This choice is yours and deserves to be discussed before the tests. For genetic tests in particular, prior information and specific consent are required, and you can decide in advance what you want to know. For incidental imaging findings, the doctor will explain the course of action they propose, and why.

Also bear in mind that some results concern your relatives: a hereditary risk of heart disease or cancer may justify screening for your brothers, sisters or children. The doctor can help you think about how to inform them.

Results that require prompt action

Conversely, some results require care without delay: very high blood sugar, severe anaemia, a significant kidney function abnormality, a significant arrhythmia or a suspicious image on cancer screening. In these situations, the doctor informs you directly, explains the next steps and, if needed, arranges an additional test during the stay. Medespoir then adapts the calendar and accommodation.

Five questions to ask at the results review

1. Of all these results, which really matter for me?
2. What needs monitoring, and how often?
3. Which test should be repeated, and when?
4. Which lifestyle changes would have the most effect in my case?
5. What should I pass on to my GP, and what should they do?

Ask for the answers to be included in writing in the report. They are the most useful part of your check-up.

The check-up measures your health over one or two days. You can greatly enrich it by observing your body during the two weeks beforehand. This information, which only you can gather, helps the doctor interpret results that may be influenced by the stress of the day or travel fatigue.

What you can note

Home measurements in practice

For blood pressure, measure yourself sitting down, in a quiet place, after a few minutes' rest, with your arm resting at heart level. Take two readings in the morning before breakfast and medication, and two in the evening, for three to seven days. Note the figures without interpreting them: the doctor will do that.

For sleep, a simple notebook is enough. Also ask the person who shares your nights whether you snore, sometimes seem to stop breathing, or move a lot. These accounts are often worth more than an app.

Smartwatches and smart rings can provide interesting trends, notably on activity and heart rate. Their measurements do not replace medical tests, but they can feed into the conversation with the doctor.

What not to do

Do not abruptly change your habits just before the check-up in the hope of getting "good" results: a strict diet for a few days or suddenly stopping alcohol distorts the picture of your real health. The check-up should capture your usual life, so that the recommendations are relevant.

The initial consultation is all the more useful if you arrive prepared. Here are the topics the doctor will almost always cover, and what it is useful to know in advance.

Why honesty matters

It is tempting to play down your alcohol consumption, missed hours of sleep or an intimate problem. Yet this is what allows the doctor to choose the right tests and interpret the results accurately. A slightly raised liver enzyme does not mean the same in someone who does not drink as in someone who has a few drinks every evening. Everything you say is covered by medical confidentiality.

Questions you can ask

The consultation is a two-way exchange. Do not hesitate to ask the doctor why they are proposing a particular test, what they are looking for, what will happen if a result is abnormal, and which tests they do not consider useful in your case. These questions are not a sign of mistrust: they show that you are taking charge of your health.

A check-up, even for a healthy person, can cause anxiety. Fear of needles, dread of the MRI tunnel, anxiety while waiting for results: these reactions are common and legitimate. Swiss teams are used to them, and a few simple measures make them easier to cope with.

Fear of needles

Mention it on arrival. The blood test can be done lying down, and some centres offer an anaesthetic patch applied in advance. Breathing slowly, looking away and talking during the procedure help a great deal. If you have felt faint during previous blood tests, say so: the team will take the necessary precautions.

Claustrophobia

The MRI tunnel can be daunting. Mention your claustrophobia in advance: some machines are more open, the examination can sometimes be done with your head outside the tunnel depending on the area examined, and a relaxing medicine can be offered if needed. You always keep a call button in your hand and can stop the examination.

The "white coat" effect

In some people, the mere presence of a doctor raises blood pressure. The phenomenon is well known and doctors take it into account: repeated readings in a quiet setting, sometimes 24-hour monitoring. High blood pressure at the doctor's is therefore not necessarily hypertension.

Waiting for results

The hours or days between a test and its result can be difficult. Ask in advance when and how results will be given to you, and who will call you if there is an abnormality. Knowing that an important result would be given to you directly often makes the wait easier.

The fear of "finding something"

Some people put off their check-up for fear of discovering a disease. This is a human reaction. But a disease found early is almost always simpler to treat than one found late, and the vast majority of check-ups bring above all reassuring news and prevention advice. Talk to the doctor about this fear: it is part of your story.

Some situations profoundly change the content or organisation of a check-up. They do not prevent it, but they need to be mentioned from the first contact.

You have a chronic illness

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart, kidney or thyroid disease, the check-up does not replace follow-up by your specialists. It complements it: it looks for complications, carries out the screening due for your age and reviews all your treatments with a fresh eye. Bring your latest reports to avoid duplication.

You have been treated for cancer

After cancer, follow-up falls first to the team that treated you. A check-up can, however, look at the rest of your health: heart, metabolism, bones, other screening and long-term effects of certain treatments. Send the report of your treatment and the planned monitoring schedule.

You have mobility difficulties

Swiss facilities are generally accessible, but it is useful to specify your needs in advance: wheelchair, help with transfers, adapted accommodation, extra time between tests. Some tests, such as the treadmill exercise test, can be replaced by other methods.

You are pregnant or planning a pregnancy

During pregnancy, tests involving X-rays are avoided and the programme is adapted in liaison with obstetric follow-up. Before a pregnancy, an assessment can check vaccinations, iron and vitamin status, certain serology and any adjustment of treatments.

You take anticoagulants

They do not prevent a check-up, but they require precautions for certain tests, in particular colonoscopy with polyp removal. Never stop them yourself: the medical team will give you precise instructions, coordinated if needed with your cardiologist.

You travel very often

Frequent travellers accumulate jet lag, short nights and fragmented medical follow-up. The check-up is an opportunity to reconstruct a complete file, check vaccinations linked to frequent destinations and review sleep and the risks of long flights.

You are accompanying an elderly parent

Some patients organise a check-up for an elderly parent. The programme then focuses on independence, reviewing treatments and preventing falls. Having a relative present at the results review is valuable, with the patient's agreement, to remember the recommendations.

Switzerland is small, but it is not uniform. Whether you are arriving from Dakar, Doha, New York or Tokyo, the most practical city, the most comfortable working language and the adjustment time needed are not the same. Rather than presenting the regions one by one, this chapter starts from your point of departure.

You come from a French-speaking country in Europe or Africa

Geneva and the Lake Geneva region are often the natural choice. Consultations take place in French, there are many direct flights, and there is little or no time difference. Lausanne, Montreux and Vevey offer an alternative in a calmer setting, less than an hour by train from Geneva airport. For patients from north-eastern France, Basel, with its binational airport, may be closer.

You come from North Africa

Geneva is the most common gateway, with a French-speaking environment and regular flights. For a stay combined with a few days' rest, the Vaud Riviera or French-speaking Valais are popular.

You come from the Middle East or the Gulf

Geneva and Zurich are both well served. The choice often depends on the preferred working language: French in Geneva, German and English in Zurich, with English spoken in both. Many families combine the check-up with a summer stay by a lake or in the mountains, where the climate is milder than at home.

You come from North America

Zurich and Geneva receive transatlantic flights. The time difference is significant: allow a day to adjust before the tests, as blood pressure, heart rate and certain blood results are sensitive to it. Patients from Quebec often prefer Geneva or Lausanne for the language.

You come from Asia

Zurich is generally best connected to the major Asian cities. Here too, the time difference calls for a day to adjust. Exchanges are in English or German, and assistance in other languages can be arranged as needed.

You come from Italy or would like a milder climate

Ticino, around Lugano, Locarno and Bellinzona, offers a Mediterranean atmosphere and consultations in Italian. Milan Malpensa airport is often more convenient than Zurich.

How many days should you allow in total?

City portraits

Geneva has a dense medical offer, public and private, in a city used to international visitors. Its airport, a few minutes from the centre, makes it the quickest option for a condensed check-up. The Lake Geneva quays offer easy walks between tests.

Lausanne is a university and medical city, built on a slope above the lake. It suits patients looking for a slightly calmer French-speaking setting than Geneva, while remaining less than an hour from the airport.

Montreux and Vevey continue a long tradition of welcoming foreign visitors. Their setting, between lake, mountains and the Lavaux vineyards, lends itself to a check-up followed by a few days' rest.

Zurich is the country's largest city and its main air hub. The medical offer is very broad, and exchanges take place in German and English. It is often the choice of patients from Asia or North America.

Basel, a university and pharmaceutical city, has a binational airport on the French border. It is convenient for patients from north-eastern France or Germany.

Bern, the federal capital, benefits from a central position that makes it accessible by train from Geneva, Zurich and Basel. Its old town can be explored on foot between appointments.

Lucerne and Zug combine medical services with the landscapes of Lake Lucerne, about an hour from Zurich airport.

Lugano brings a Mediterranean atmosphere to Ticino and consultations in Italian, with a milder climate for much of the year.

City, lake or mountains?

Once the gateway has been chosen, the setting remains. A check-up in a city centre — Geneva, Zurich or Basel — is the quickest: tests follow on from one another, the airport is close and you can leave the day after the results review. A stay by a lake — Montreux, Lucerne or Lugano — suits those who wish to combine the assessment with a few quiet days. The mountains — Crans-Montana, Verbier, Gstaad, Davos or St. Moritz — appeal for a longer stay, with the check-up then carried out in the nearest medical city.

One precaution concerns altitude: above about 1,500 metres, some people sleep less well for the first few nights and see their heart rate rise slightly. It is better to do exercise tests before going up, or after a few days of acclimatisation.

Organising a check-up from another country means coordinating documents, appointments, medical instructions, travel and follow-up. The timeline below shows what happens at each stage, who is responsible and what you need to do.

D-30: you describe your objective

You explain what you expect from the check-up, your age, your main history, the date of your last assessment, your possible dates and your city and language preferences. You can attach your recent tests.

What Medespoir does: we study your request, ask any missing questions and begin the search with our partners.

D-25: you receive proposals

We present one or more options: facility, indicative programme content, duration, city, possible accommodation and a detailed estimate. You compare, ask questions and request adjustments.

What the doctors do: they review the information provided, with your agreement, and may suggest adding or removing a test.

D-21: you confirm

You choose the package and dates. Appointments are booked, and accommodation and transfers are reserved. If you need a visa to enter Switzerland, now is the time to apply.

D-14: you gather your file

D-7: you receive the preparation instructions

The medical team sends you its instructions: fasting time, any adjustment of certain medicines, a low-fibre diet if a colonoscopy is planned, sports clothes for an exercise test. Never change a treatment yourself: only the team's written instructions count.

D-3: you prepare your body

Avoid alcohol and very intense exertion, which change certain results. Sleep as much as possible. If a colonoscopy is planned, start the indicated diet.

D-1: you arrive

A driver meets you at the airport or station. You settle in, rest and have a light dinner. If a colonoscopy takes place the next day, bowel preparation is done this evening. The instructions for the first morning are repeated to you.

Day D: the tests

The day starts early, fasting: samples and abdominal ultrasound. Then come the initial consultation, cardiac tests and specialist consultations. The pace is sustained but punctuated by breaks. If you are tired, say so: the programme can be adjusted.

D+1 or D+2: the results review

The coordinating doctor brings together the available results, explains what matters, answers your questions and gives you their recommendations. Delayed results, such as polyp analysis, will be communicated later.

D+7: delayed results

A remote consultation, by phone or video, can be arranged to discuss the latest results. Medespoir takes the time difference into account when setting the time.

D+30: handing over to your doctor

You send the report to your GP and discuss the recommendations together. Any additional tests are scheduled at home.

D+90: the first check

If the check-up revealed a value to be monitored, such as cholesterol or blood sugar, this is often the time for a first check, carried out in your country.

D+365: the year in review

A year later, take stock: which recommendations have you followed, which results have changed? According to the schedule given by the doctor, a new check-up can be planned, generally more targeted than the first.

Sharing the roles

This timeline rests on a clear division of roles. Medespoir listens to your objective, searches for facilities, coordinates appointments, organises the stay and facilitates follow-up. The doctors choose the tests, carry them out, interpret the results and make the recommendations. You remain in control of your decisions at every stage: you can ask for explanations, take time to think, decline or postpone a test.

Medespoir is not a medical centre, makes no diagnosis and prescribes nothing. This separation protects the medical quality of your assessment and guarantees you clear answers: practical questions to us, health questions to the care team.

Studies on prevention agree: most of the benefits of a check-up come not from the tests, but from what the patient does with the results. Yet changing habits is difficult, especially after a trip, when daily life takes over again. A few principles drawn from the practice of prevention doctors make this transition easier.

Start small and specific

"Do more sport" is a wish; "walk for thirty minutes after lunch, three days a week" is a plan. The most effective recommendations describe a concrete action, a time of day and a frequency. Ask the doctor to help you phrase your two or three priorities in this way.

Measure what matters

A simple indicator, tracked regularly, keeps up motivation: blood pressure measured at home, waist circumference, number of steps, hours of sleep. There is no need to track everything: choose the indicator that matches your main priority.

Involve those around you

Changes in diet, activity or sleep succeed better when shared. A partner who walks with you, a family that adapts its meals, a colleague to exercise with: this support counts as much as individual willpower.

Plan for obstacles

Travel, business dinners, fatigue, the cold season: obstacles are predictable. Anticipate them by planning a minimum version of your plan for difficult weeks, rather than giving up altogether.

Going back to the doctor

A plan can be readjusted. If a goal proves unrealistic or a follow-up result does not improve, talk to your GP. They can adapt the recommendations, suggest specialist support or discuss treatment when lifestyle measures are not enough.

Check-up offers in Switzerland vary considerably, and it is tempting to compare them on price alone. That would be to miss the essential point. A check-up is made up of four elements of value, very unevenly represented from one offer to another.

Medical time

This is the most valuable and least visible element: the length of the initial consultation, the time the coordinating doctor spends on your file and the quality of the results review. A programme that sets aside an hour for the consultation and an hour for the review does not offer the same service as one that runs through tests without a summary.

Technology

Imaging, cardiology, endoscopy and laboratory: this is often the most visible and most variable item. An MRI or colonoscopy weighs more than an electrocardiogram. The right question is not "how many tests?", but "which ones, and why?".

Logistics

Accommodation, transfers, interpreting, scheduling and support: these elements determine the comfort and smooth running of the stay. Their weight depends mainly on the setting chosen, from a city hotel to a lakeside residence.

Aftercare

Remote review of delayed results, a detailed report, coordination with your doctor and arranging an additional test: this follow-up is sometimes included, sometimes charged separately, sometimes absent. Yet it is what turns results into health.

A grid for comparing two offers

When you receive two proposals, ask them the same questions. An offer that answers each one clearly deserves your trust, whatever its positioning.

• Who is the coordinating doctor, and how long does the initial consultation last?
• Is each test justified by your age, sex or history?
• Are low-value tests, such as tumour markers for screening, absent?
• Is the results review planned face to face, with sufficient time?
• Will the report be written in your language?
• Is the course of action in the event of an abnormal result specified in advance?
• Will delayed results be discussed, and how?
• Are included and excluded services detailed in writing?

Swiss facilities set their prices in Swiss francs; any estimate provided before their final quote remains indicative and non-binding. For a patient living abroad, the check-up is usually at their own expense; some international health insurance policies or company contracts cover part of it. Ask your insurer in writing before departure and keep detailed invoices and reports.

Medespoir gives you a detailed estimate, item by item, before any commitment. We do not steer you towards the most comprehensive offer, but towards the one that meets your objective.

Many companies offer a check-up to their executives or key employees. The approach is useful, but it raises a legitimate question: what will the employer know?

The answer is clear. Medical results belong to the employee. They are covered by medical confidentiality and data protection, and are only passed on to the employer with the explicit consent of the person concerned. The company may know that the check-up took place and receive the invoice; it has no access to the medical content.

Offering a check-up to employees

How the check-up is presented matters as much as its content. For it to be seen as a benefit rather than a form of control, a few principles help: confirming the confidentiality of results in writing, leaving each employee free to accept or decline, allowing them to choose their dates and, if possible, their city. Employees also appreciate being able to involve their partner, at their own expense or the company's depending on the policy chosen.

Medespoir can provide a neutral presentation of the process, with no medical information, to give to the employees concerned.

For the company, the benefit is real: contributing to the health of very busy people, often travelling and with little time for their own follow-up. For the employee, it is an opportunity to complete in a short time an assessment they would probably have put off. Medespoir can organise check-ups for several people over the same period, each with their own programme, results review and report.

Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by patients around the world who are considering a medical check-up in Switzerland.

Before booking

At what age does a check-up make sense? A first complete assessment can be useful from your thirties, especially with a family history, smoking or excess weight. It establishes baseline values. However, it is from 40 to 50 that a check-up is most valuable, as risk factors appear and you reach the age for screening. More than age, it is your history and lifestyle that determine the right time for a first assessment.

My usual doctor already follows me: is a check-up useful? It can be, provided you see it as a complement. A check-up concentrates into a few days tests and specialists you rarely see at the same time, then gives you a summary your doctor can use. Tell them about your plan and pass on the report when you return. It is often an opportunity to group together screening tests you keep putting off for lack of time.

How do I know whether a package suits my age? Check whether it includes the screening recommended at your age and avoids tests that are of no value to you. An identical package for a 35-year-old and a 70-year-old is not a medical package. Medespoir helps you check this before any booking. Also compare the time allowed for the initial consultation and the results review, often more revealing than the list of tests.

How far in advance should I organise? Ideally allow three to four weeks between first contact and the stay. This leaves time to receive proposals, gather your file, obtain a visa if needed and follow the preparations. Shorter timescales are sometimes possible depending on availability. At busy times, notably before summer, planning further ahead gives you more freedom to choose the city and dates.

Do I need a letter from my doctor? It is not generally compulsory. A letter summarising your history and treatments is nevertheless very useful, especially if you have a chronic illness. Failing that, a precise list of your treatments and your latest reports are often enough. The letter can also set out the questions your doctor would like the check-up to answer.

Can I choose the tests myself? You can express your wishes and concerns, and they will be taken into account. The final choice of tests, however, lies with the doctor, who assesses their value for you. If you insist on a test they consider of little use, they will explain why. This discussion is part of the consultation: it helps you understand the logic of the programme.

Can a check-up be done in a single day? Yes, for an essential assessment or a condensed package for very busy people. As soon as a colonoscopy or several specialist consultations are planned, two to three days are needed. A one-day programme means starting very early in the morning and a tight sequence of tests.

What should I avoid doing before booking? Avoid booking flights before the programme has been confirmed, particularly if a colonoscopy is being considered: it requires preparation the day before and rest on the day itself. It is better to wait for the calendar to be confirmed. Also avoid scheduling important business meetings the day after a colonoscopy.

Can a check-up be combined with a holiday? Yes, it is common. Many patients have their tests at the start of their stay, then enjoy a few days by a lake or in the mountains. It is better to schedule the check-up at the start, so that any additional test can be done before you leave. Simply avoid very intense physical activity before an exercise test, and plan a quiet day after a colonoscopy.

Can a check-up be done for a child or adolescent? The check-ups presented in this guide are for adults. For a child or adolescent, follow-up falls to the paediatrician, who arranges tests suited to each age. For young adults, an assessment can be discussed depending on family history.

Should I inform my insurer before leaving? It is advisable. Ask your insurer in writing about any coverage for a preventive assessment abroad, and check your cover in an emergency during the stay. Keep their answer with your travel documents. Also ask which supporting documents they require, so that you can collect them during the stay.

Can I have my check-up in a language other than French? Yes. Depending on the city, consultations take place in French, German or Italian, and English is widely spoken. Assistance in other languages can be arranged as needed. The report can also be written in the language of your choice, depending on the facility.

On the day of the tests

How long do I need to fast? Generally eight to twelve hours before the blood test and abdominal ultrasound on the first morning. Water is allowed. Precise instructions, notably for your morning medication, are sent to you before the stay. Bring a light snack for when the fasting tests are over, especially if you are prone to feeling faint.

Can I take my medication on the morning of the tests? It depends on the medicine and the test. Some should be taken as usual, others delayed or suspended. Follow only the written instructions from the medical team, and if in doubt, ask before the day. Bring your morning medication with you, to take after the fasting tests if you are told to.

What should I wear? Choose comfortable clothes that are easy to remove, and bring sports clothes and shoes if an exercise test is planned. Avoid jewellery and metal objects on the day of an MRI, deodorant and cream on the day of a mammogram, and nail varnish on the day of the skin examination. Bring a light jacket: examination rooms are sometimes cool.

Can I be accompanied to the tests? Yes, someone close to you can accompany you and wait during the tests. Their presence is particularly recommended on the day of a colonoscopy under sedation, for the return to the hotel. They can also attend the results review if you wish, to help you remember the recommendations.

Are the tests painful? Most are not: electrocardiogram, ultrasounds, spirometry, bone densitometry and skin examination. The blood test causes a brief prick, the mammogram an uncomfortable compression for a few seconds. Colonoscopy is generally done under sedation. If you dread a test, say so in advance: the team can adapt its approach.

What happens if I feel unwell during an exercise test? The test is monitored continuously by a doctor or trained staff, who stop it as soon as an abnormal sign appears or you ask them to. Report any pain, discomfort or unusual sensation. Exercise test rooms are equipped to react immediately if there is a problem.

Can I eat between tests? Once the fasting tests are over, yes. Breakfast is generally provided. Before an exercise test, simply avoid a heavy meal in the two hours beforehand. Drink regularly, especially after a long flight.

What should I do if I am very tired during the day? Say so. The programme can be lightened or certain tests moved to the next day. A check-up done in good conditions is better than one rushed through. Fatigue can also influence certain measurements, such as blood pressure or heart rate: it is better to report it.

Can I use my phone during the check-up? Yes, between tests. It must be switched off or removed during certain tests such as MRI. Plan real breaks rather than working between appointments: some measurements are sensitive to stress. Let your colleagues know you will be less available during these days.

How long does the initial consultation last? It often lasts about an hour in quality check-ups. This is a good indicator of how serious a package is: too short a consultation leaves little room for your history and questions. Prepare your questions in writing to make the most of it.

What happens if a test is cancelled or postponed? The team offers you a new time during the stay when possible. Otherwise, the test can often be done in your country based on the report's recommendations. Medespoir reorganises the calendar and logistics if needed. A postponement is not a failure: it is often an adjustment to how you are on the day.

Heart and blood vessels

My electrocardiogram is normal: is my heart healthy? A normal resting electrocardiogram is reassuring, but it does not tell the whole story. It does not always detect a narrowing of the arteries that only shows during exertion. That is why the doctor combines this test with your overall risk and, if needed, other investigations. If you have symptoms on exertion, always report them, even if the electrocardiogram is normal.

What is overall cardiovascular risk? It is an estimate of the probability of a heart attack or stroke in the coming years, calculated from age, sex, blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, diabetes and history. It guides the intensity of prevention. It changes over time and with your efforts: recalculating it at the next assessment measures your progress.

My cholesterol is slightly high: should I take treatment? Not necessarily. The decision depends on your overall risk, not on an isolated value. In a young person with no other risk factor, lifestyle measures may be enough; in a person at high risk, treatment may be discussed with your doctor. A new test after a few months of dietary changes and physical activity often clarifies things.

My blood pressure is only high at the doctor's: is it serious? This is the "white coat" effect, which is common. To distinguish it from true high blood pressure, the doctor may suggest 24-hour monitoring or home measurements. This effect nevertheless deserves follow-up, as it can change over time. Home measurements taken before the stay are very useful in deciding.

Is the exercise test essential? No. It is useful if you have symptoms on exertion, a high cardiovascular risk or do intense sport. In a young person with no symptoms or risk factors, its value is limited. It can also be used to define training zones if you wish to resume physical activity safely.

Is the calcium score a routine test? No. It is reserved for people whose cardiovascular risk is difficult to classify, to help decide on preventive treatment. It involves a low dose of X-rays. A score of zero is reassuring; a high score prompts stronger prevention.

Should palpitations be reported? Yes, always. The doctor may then suggest recording your heart rhythm for 24 hours or more to look for a rhythm disorder. Before the stay, note when they occur and how long they last. If you have a recording on a smartwatch, show it to the doctor.

Can a check-up prevent a heart attack? It cannot guarantee it, but it identifies the factors that increase the risk and allows you to act on them: blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and inactivity. It is this action, sustained over time, that reduces the risk. The check-up gives you the starting figures; your efforts in the following months make the difference.

Are women concerned by heart risk? Yes, fully. The risk rises markedly after menopause, and symptoms of a heart problem are sometimes less typical in women. Cardiovascular assessment therefore has its full place in a women's check-up. Unusual breathlessness, fatigue on exertion or discomfort in the back or jaw should be reported.

Is my snoring linked to my heart? It can be. Snoring with pauses in breathing suggests sleep apnoea, which encourages high blood pressure and rhythm disorders. Report it: a sleep recording may be offered. Suitable treatment for apnoea often clearly improves fatigue within a few weeks.

Cancer screening

Can a check-up detect all cancers? No. It can screen for cancers for which effective tests exist: colon, breast, cervix, skin, and under certain conditions prostate and lung. Other cancers have no reliable screening method in a person without symptoms. Any persistent symptom should be reported, even if it does not correspond to any screening test.

Should I have a colonoscopy or a stool test? Both approaches are valid. The faecal immunochemical test is simple and repeated regularly; colonoscopy directly examines the colon and removes polyps, with a longer interval. The choice depends on your age, history and preferences. A positive stool test must always be followed by a colonoscopy.

Why is colonoscopy so widely recommended? Because it does not just detect cancer: it allows polyps to be removed before they become malignant. It is one of the few screening tests that can prevent a cancer from developing. A normal colonoscopy generally allows the next check to be spaced well apart.

My father had colon cancer: what does this change? A history in a close relative, especially at a young age, may justify an earlier first colonoscopy and more frequent checks. Specify the age at which the disease occurred: it is crucial information for the doctor. The number of relatives affected also counts: several cases in the family may justify a genetics consultation.

At what age should mammography start? Organised screening generally starts at 50. With a significant family history, it may start earlier and be combined with other tests. The gynaecologist adapts the schedule to your situation. Always bring your previous images for comparison.

Should I monitor my moles? Yes, especially if you have fair skin, many moles or a history of severe sunburn. A regular dermatological examination, complemented by self-monitoring between assessments, allows a suspicious lesion to be spotted early. Photographing monitored lesions makes year-on-year comparison easier.

Is a lung scan recommended for everyone? No. It may be discussed for smokers or former heavy smokers, within a specific framework. For non-smokers with no particular risk factor, it is not recommended. Stopping smoking remains by far the best prevention of lung cancer.

Can blood tests detect cancer? Not reliably for screening. Conventional tumour markers lack precision in a person without symptoms. Multi-cancer detection blood tests are still being evaluated and do not replace recognised screening. Unexplained anaemia may, however, point to certain tests, notably digestive.

What is overdiagnosis? It is the discovery of a cancer that would never have progressed or caused symptoms during a person's lifetime. It exposes people to unnecessary tests and treatments. It is one of the reasons why some screening, such as for prostate cancer, is the subject of shared decision-making. Overdiagnosis does not call the value of screening into question, but it justifies choosing tests carefully.

What happens if a screening test is positive? A positive screening test is not a diagnosis. It leads to further tests which, in many cases, prove reassuring. The doctor explains the next steps and how they will be organised, locally or in your country. Medespoir can reorganise the stay if an additional test is carried out locally.

Does normal screening mean I need not consult if I have symptoms? No. Normal screening relates to the time it was carried out. Any new symptom, such as bleeding, a lump or unexplained weight loss, should lead you to consult without waiting for the next assessment. A check-up and a consultation for symptoms meet two different needs.

How long does normal screening remain valid? Each screening test has its own interval, defined by recommendations and adapted to your profile: a few years for some, longer for a normal colonoscopy. The doctor gives you a written schedule. Keep this schedule with your report.

Women's health

Does the women's check-up include a gynaecological consultation? Yes, in suitable packages. It includes a gynaecological examination, a smear test and HPV test according to the scheduled interval, and sometimes a pelvic ultrasound. It is also the time to discuss contraception, periods, fertility or menopause. You can ask for it to be carried out by a female doctor.

Can menopause be discussed during the check-up? Yes, and it is often one of the most useful moments. Hot flushes, sleep, mood, dryness, and bone and heart health can be discussed with a specialist. Treatment options are then discussed with your usual gynaecologist. Note your symptoms and how often they occur before the stay: this helps the specialist advise you.

Why measure bone density after menopause? Because falling hormone levels accelerate bone loss. Densitometry screens for osteoporosis before a first fracture, allowing prevention and, if needed, treatment to be put in place. The test is quick, painless and involves very little radiation.

Can a check-up be done during a period? Yes for most tests. The smear test and urine analysis are, however, better done outside a period. Give your expected dates when organising, so the calendar can be adapted if needed. The rest of the programme can proceed normally.

Are extra tests needed if my mother had breast cancer? Depending on the age at which it occurred and the number of cases in the family, the gynaecologist may suggest earlier screening, additional tests or a genetics consultation. Bring as much information as possible about your family history. Note the age at which it occurred and which side of the family is concerned.

Can a pregnant woman have a check-up? A suitable assessment is possible, but tests involving X-rays are avoided and the programme is built around obstetric follow-up. Report any pregnancy, even early or uncertain. Ultrasound and blood tests remain possible, with no X-ray exposure.

Can a check-up prepare for a future pregnancy? Yes. It can check vaccinations, iron and vitamin status, certain serology and any adjustment of treatments incompatible with pregnancy. The future father can, if he wishes, have his own assessment during the same stay.

What is the interval between two smear tests? It depends on age, the type of test carried out and previous results. When the HPV test is negative, the interval can be several years. The gynaecologist indicates the date of the next check in the report.

Can I ask to be examined by a female doctor? Yes. Express this preference from your first request: it is taken into account as far as possible when organising consultations, particularly gynaecological ones.

Men's health

Does the men's check-up include a prostate examination? Depending on age and history, a urology consultation may be offered. It covers urinary symptoms and the question of prostate cancer screening, which is the subject of shared decision-making. Before the stay, note any urinary symptoms and how often they occur.

Should PSA be tested from 50? It is not automatic. The doctor explains the possible benefits and drawbacks, notably the risk of discovering tumours that would never have progressed. You decide together. With a family history, the discussion starts earlier. If you choose the test, the doctor explains in advance what would happen if the result were high.

Is getting up at night to urinate normal? It is common after 50, often linked to benign enlargement of the prostate, but it can have other causes. Report it: solutions exist to improve your comfort. Urine analysis and sometimes an ultrasound help clarify the cause.

Can low energy come from a lack of testosterone? It is possible, but other causes are more common: sleep, stress, weight, treatments, thyroid. A testosterone test may be offered if there are suggestive symptoms, taken in the morning and often repeated. Sleep apnoea, in particular, is a common and often overlooked cause of fatigue in men.

Why talk about erection problems during a check-up? Because they can be an early sign of arterial disease, sometimes appearing before a heart problem. Reporting them allows the doctor to look more closely at cardiovascular assessment. Doctors address this subject discreetly and without judgement.

Can male fertility be assessed? Yes, if you have a plan or a concern. A semen analysis and a specialist consultation can be arranged, in liaison with your couple's follow-up. These tests require particular organisation, to be planned from the outset.

Are men affected by osteoporosis? Yes, less often than women but genuinely, notably after 70, with corticosteroid treatment or certain diseases. Densitometry may then be offered. A fracture after a minor fall should always be reported.

Does the check-up cover men's mental health? Yes. Stress, burnout, sleep problems and low mood are common and often kept quiet. The interview allows them to be discussed in complete confidence and, if needed, referral to a professional. Talking about them is part of a complete health assessment, just like the heart.

After 65

Is the check-up different after 65? Yes. It focuses more on independence: walking, balance, strength, memory, hearing, vision, nutrition, and reviewing treatments. Some screening becomes less valuable depending on general health. The length of the days is often adapted, with more breaks between tests.

Why review all my medicines? With age, treatments accumulate, sometimes prescribed by several doctors. Some become unnecessary, others interact or increase the risk of falls. A complete review is often one of the most valuable contributions of the check-up. Bring all your packets or a complete list, including medicines taken without a prescription.

How is the risk of falling assessed? With simple tests: walking speed, balance on one leg, ability to stand up from a chair and grip strength. These are complemented by a vision check, a review of treatments and bone density. The doctor can then suggest simple exercises to do at home.

Can memory be assessed during the check-up? Yes, with short tests if you wish or if you have a concern. The doctor also looks at modifiable factors: blood pressure, hearing, sleep, physical activity and isolation. Having someone close to you present can help describe the difficulties observed day to day.

Are vaccinations checked after 65? Yes. Flu, pneumococcal and shingles vaccinations are often recommended at this age, in addition to the usual boosters. Some vaccinations can be given during the stay, depending on availability.

Should cancer screening continue after 75? It depends on your health and estimated life expectancy. Beyond a certain age, the drawbacks of some screening may outweigh the benefits. The doctor discusses this with you case by case. The decision takes into account your priorities and quality of life.

Can someone close to me attend the results review? Yes, with your agreement. Their presence often helps you remember the recommendations and organise what comes next, notably treatments and appointments. You can also ask for a review in two parts: alone, then with your companion.

Can the stay be adapted to reduced mobility? Yes. Specify your needs in advance: wheelchair, adapted accommodation, transfers and extra time between tests. Some exercise tests can be replaced by other methods. Transfers can be made in an adapted vehicle.

Results

When will I receive my results? Routine analyses are often available the same day and discussed at the results review. Specialist analyses and polyp examination take several days; they are communicated afterwards, often during a remote consultation. At the review, ask the doctor which results are still to come and how they will be sent to you.

Why are some values marked with an asterisk? They fall outside the laboratory's reference values. This does not necessarily mean disease: about one healthy person in twenty has, for each analysis, a value slightly outside the norm. The doctor tells you what matters. A slight isolated deviation often has no clinical significance.

Should a slightly abnormal test be repeated? Sometimes, yes. A check after a few weeks or months distinguishes a passing variation from a real abnormality. The doctor indicates when and where to have the check. It can often be carried out in your country, based on the report's recommendations.

What does "to be monitored" mean in a report? That the image or value is probably benign, but it is prudent to review it after a certain time. Keep to this check: it is what clears up any doubt. Note the date of the check at the results review.

Will I receive my imaging? Yes, on request, generally in digital form. Keep it: it will allow comparison at later tests, in Switzerland or in your country. Check before leaving that the medium provided opens correctly.

Will my results be sent to my doctor? Only with your agreement. It is strongly recommended to send them to your doctor so that they can provide follow-up and incorporate the recommendations into your care. A short summary, in addition to the detailed report, makes their work easier.

What language will my report be in? Depending on the facility, in French, German, Italian or English. Indicate your preference from your first request; translation can be arranged if needed. A short summary in your language is often the most useful for your doctors.

What should I do if I do not understand a result after returning home? Ask your GP or the Swiss team, through Medespoir if needed. A clear explanation avoids needless worry or an important oversight. Note your questions as they arise, to ask them all at once.

Would a serious result be given to me directly? Yes. If a result requires prompt care, the doctor informs you directly and explains the next steps. Ask in advance how delayed results will be communicated. You would not receive such information by simple letter, without explanation.

Are my results confidential from my employer? Yes, completely. Even when the company pays for the check-up, results are only passed on with your explicit consent. Only administrative information, such as the fact that the assessment took place, may be communicated.

How long should I keep my report? Indefinitely. It serves as a reference for all your future assessments. Keep it with your images, ideally in paper and digital form. It will be invaluable on the day a doctor needs to compare your results.

When should I have another check-up? The doctor gives you a schedule: a general assessment every one to three years depending on your age and results, and specific intervals for each screening test. The next check-up is often more targeted than the first. Note these dates in your diary as soon as you return.

Patients from abroad

Do I need a visa for a check-up in Switzerland? It depends on your nationality. Switzerland is part of the Schengen area; some nationals must obtain a visa before departure. Check the requirements several weeks in advance, taking processing times into account. Medespoir can provide information about your programme for the visa application.

Which airport should I choose? Geneva for the Lake Geneva region and French-speaking patients, Zurich for German-speaking Switzerland and many long-haul connections, Basel-Mulhouse for the north-west. For Ticino, Milan Malpensa is often convenient. Medespoir takes connections from your country into account to suggest the most practical city.

Can jet lag distort my results? It can affect blood pressure, heart rate, sleep and some analyses. With a significant time difference, plan a day of rest before the first tests. Get daylight as soon as you arrive and avoid alcohol during the flight.

Can tests carried out in my country be used? Yes, if they are recent and well documented. Bring them, ideally translated into French, German or English: they may avoid repeating certain tests and serve as a point of comparison. For imaging, bring the images themselves if possible, not just the report.

Can I pay in foreign currency? Prices are generally set in Swiss francs. The accepted payment methods, notably card or bank transfer, are specified by each facility in its quote. Ask your bank about any exchange fees.

Can I fly straight after a colonoscopy? Travelling on the same day is not advised. If polyps have been removed, the doctor may recommend waiting a few days before a long flight. Leave some margin in your calendar. Medespoir builds your calendar with this precaution in mind.

What should I do if I have a health problem after returning home? See a doctor in your country, showing them your report. In an emergency, call the local emergency services. Medespoir can facilitate contact with the Swiss team if needed. Keep the report to hand, in paper and digital form.

Can an interpreter be arranged? Yes, depending on your needs and the language concerned. Mention it from your first request, so that they are present at important consultations, particularly the results review. An interpreter at the review allows you to ask all your questions freely.

Is my usual treatment available in Switzerland? Not always under the same name or form. Bring enough for the whole stay, with your prescriptions, preferably showing the name of the active ingredient. If you forget it, a local doctor can help you find an equivalent.

What should I do if my flight is delayed? Let Medespoir know as soon as possible. We will reorganise the transfer and, if needed, the first appointments with the facility. We will keep you informed of any changes in timing.

Your Medespoir contact

What exactly is Medespoir's role? We listen to your objective, look among our Swiss partners for the right check-up, coordinate exchanges with the medical teams and organise your stay. We are not a medical centre. We remain your contact for organisation, before, during and after the stay.

Does Medespoir play a part in choosing the tests? No. Tests are chosen by the doctors. We do, however, help you ask the right questions and compare proposals clearly. Our role is to make the offer understandable to you, not to shape it in the doctors' place.

Can I contact Medespoir during the stay? Yes, for any practical question: appointments, transfers, accommodation, an added test. Medical questions are for the care team. Your contact person's details are given to you before departure.

Can Medespoir organise check-ups for my whole family? Yes. Each person has their own programme, results review and report, in complete confidentiality. Appointments are coordinated to limit waiting and group journeys together.

Does Medespoir organise check-ups for companies? Yes. We coordinate the assessments of several employees, with invoicing kept separate from medical information, which remains confidential. Each employee remains free to accept or decline the check-up.

What happens if no package suits me? We will tell you. Our aim is not to sell a programme, but to find the one that truly meets your need, or to direct you elsewhere if that is not the case. Sometimes a simple assessment with your own doctor is the best answer: we will tell you so.

Does Medespoir provide follow-up after I return? We facilitate the transfer of documents, the organisation of remote consultations for delayed results and the scheduling of your next assessment. We can also remind you when your next assessment is due.

How do I start my request? Use the form below in a few minutes: your objective, your age, your possible dates and preferred city are enough to start. An adviser will contact you to clarify your plans. You do not need to have chosen a package already: your objective is enough.

A useful check-up starts with a simple question: what do you want to know about your health? Whether you want a complete review, to monitor your heart, to have your screening done or to understand your fatigue, tell us your objective.

Medespoir looks among its Swiss partners for the check-up that meets it, organises your stay and remains by your side through to follow-up.

You remain free at every stage: to compare, to ask your questions and to take time to decide.

A check-up is not an end in itself. It is a starting point: a few days to take stock, years to benefit from it. Whether you come from Lyon, Dakar, Doha or Singapore, our role is to make these few days as simple and useful as possible, so that you can concentrate on what matters: understanding your health and deciding what comes next.