The best treatment for your patients. The best service for you.

Referring/registering patients

You have various options for registering your patients with us. Choose the most convenient one for you.

Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 5.00 pm

+41 61 315 23 20

rheuma-schmerz@bethesda-spital.notexisting@nodomain.comch

How does DocBox work?

Thanks to a direct connection to the practice information system, master data and referral information can be automatically transferred to the application. As the referring doctor, you save time and the process is less prone to errors.

What are your benefits?

  • electronic registration directly from the practice software
  • no typing, no printing - less effort, fewer queries, fewer errors
  • immediate confirmation after successful transmission of information to the hospital

Already working with DocBox?

  • Add Bethesda Hospital to your favourites to be able to select them with one click.
  • Do you share the process with your practice staff? You can cache notifications and someone else or yourself can edit them later.
  • Create Bethesda templates and access pre-filled registration forms to process recurring referrals even faster.

You are not yet working with DoxBox, but would like to?

  • Check whether you work with one of the practice software providers listed below.
  • Get in touch with us. zwm@bethesda-spital.notexisting@nodomain.comch / Tel. 061 315 21 14
  • We take care of DocBox access (licence) for your practice.
  • We train you and your practice staff on site in your practice on how to use DocBox.

Fill out the web form on our website quickly and easily.

Communication takes place via a secure platform and is encrypted in accordance with data protection regulations. Your texts and files are protected from access by unauthorised persons at all stages of transmission.

Web form rheumatism/pain

Order the remittance pad

Do you prefer to work in writing by hand?

Order the DIN A4 remittance pad by telephone on 061 315 21 14 or by e-mail at zwm@bethesda-spital.notexisting@nodomain.comch.

We will send you the pad within two to three working days.

To be able to use all the functions of the referral forms, please open the forms directly in Acrobat Reader and not in your Internet browser. In addition, please use a secure HIN e-mail address for secure transmission of the forms.

Acrobat Reader can be downloaded here free of charge.

When and how can you refer your patients to us?

We treat all degenerative and inflammatory rheumatological diseases, with a focus on pain syndromes. We prioritise and triage your outpatient or inpatient referral based on your question/request, urgency and our expertise.

Appointments for your patient

  • Priority 1: within 1 to 2 weeks
  • Priority 2: within 2 to 3 weeks
  • Priority 3: within 4 to 8 weeks

Possible indications

  • Degenerative: unclear and/or therapy-resistant, acute or chronic, generalised or localised pain syndromes; in/of joints, spine, nerves, fasciae; ineffective outpatient therapies
  • Inflammatory: diagnosis/classification, arthritis, gout, collagenoses, vasculitis, etc.
  • Osteoporosis, bone diseases

Referral channels


Appointments for your patient
within 1 to 4 working days

Possible indications

  • Acute arthritis / soft tissue inflammation, high suspicion of inflammatory systemic diseases
  • Radicular syndrome / disc hernias
  • Suspected osteoporotic fracture
  • Exacerbated pain situation with severe suffering

Referral channels

Intervention takes place after prior consultation (incl. order and laboratory)

Appointments for spinal intervention
1 to 3 weeks; within one week of the consultation appointment at Bethesda Hospital

Possible indications
Back problems

Referral channels

Intervention planning

  • if the type of intervention is not yet entirely clear: Fast Track preliminary examination in the outpatient clinic, 60 minutes incl. clinical diagnostics, information and laboratory test
  • for a clear, specific intervention: fast track, 30 minutes, with information and lab test

Intervention with us takes place directly without prior consultation


Appointments for intervention
< 1 week

Possible indications
Clearly defined, urgent back problems (e.g. radicular pain syndrome)

Referral channels

Your preparatory work in the practice

  • Handing over the SSIPM information sheet to your patient and joint discussion in the practice
  • Laboratory tests (CRP, BSR, simple blood count) are taken in the practice; alternatively, the laboratory tests can also be taken at Bethesda Hospital on the day of the intervention. Your patient must arrive at our practice 90 minutes before the intervention appointment.

Intervention planning
Intervention can be carried out without prior consultation at Bethesda Hospital, i.e. planning of the intervention without delay.

Important documents

We are happy to provide you with the following information material:

Consent IVR

Transparent, uncomplicated, based on partnership - this is how we work with you

"In this video, you will learn from me how we organise our referral management to meet your needs as a referring physician."

Prof Dr Dr med Stephan Gadola
Head Physician Rheumatology & Pain Medicine

The processes in the Rheumatism/Pain Clinic after your referral

From your assignment to the report

Working together for your patients

Your patients are our focus. We proactively inform you about our work and assure you and your patients of the highest medical and therapeutic quality.

  • Your patient will receive an appointment within 24 hours (by telephone or in writing).
  • You will be assigned a person of trust (senior doctor or ward doctor) who can provide you with information at any time.
  • We will involve you in every decisive step (treatment, procedure, discharge, report).
  • After outpatient treatment, you will receive the consultation report within 7 working days of the consultation.
  • You will receive the final discharge report within 10 working days of your patient's discharge.
  • We will ask you and your patient about their satisfaction.

Download graphic "Processes after your referral"

Rheumatology & Pain Medicine Team

We do our best for you and your patients.

medical profession

Professor Dr.med. Dr.rer.nat. Stephan Gadola

Chefarzt Rheumatologie und Schmerzmedizin

Dr. med. Michael Gengenbacher

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Ärztlicher Direktor / Stv. CEO, Mitglied der Spitalleitung

Chris Grebhardt

Stv. Oberarzt Rheumatologie und Schmerzmedizin

Dr. med. Christa Ritter

Oberärztin Rheumatologie
Tel +41 61 315 23 20

Dr. med. Anna Thoma

Stv. Chefärztin Rheumatologie und Schmerzmedizin

Dr. med. Priska Wagner

Stv. Oberärztin Rheumatologie und Schmerzmedizin

Dr. med. Christof Widmer

Stv. Chefarzt Rheumatologie
Tel +41 61 315 23 20

Secretariat, outpatient clinic, clinic management

Patricia Bösch

Sekretariat Bewegungsapparat

Maleen Luisa Feger

MPA, Ambulatorium Rheuma-Schmerz
Tel +41 61 315 23 20

Patrizia Guardala

MPA, Ambulatorium Rheuma-Schmerz
Tel +41 61 315 23 20

Manuela Heymoz

MPA, Ambulatorium Rheuma-Schmerz
Tel +41 61 315 23 20

Kathrin Müller-Gyssler

Sekretariat Bewegungsapparat

Isabell Räuber

Leitende Med. Praxiskoordinatorin Bewegungsapparat
Tel +41 61 315 23 20

Jessica Schweickert

MPA, Ambulatorium Rheuma-Schmerz
Tel +41 61 315 23 20

Janine Schöpfer

Stv. Leitende MPA, Ambulatorium Rheuma-Schmerz
Tel +41 61 315 23 20

Jeannine Stucki

Sekretariat Bewegungsapparat

Nathalie Weissenberger

Sekretariat Bewegungsapparat

Beatrix Zumbühl

Klinikmanagerin
Tel +41 61 315 28 10

Take part in our exciting training programmes.

The training courses will take place from 12.45 pm to 1.45 pm at Bethesda Hospital or optionally virtually. Please inform yourself about the implementation and the corona protection measures before each training course.

Häufige Ursachen für Schulterschmerzen: wann ist eine OP sinnvoll?

Donnerstag, 10.04.2025
12:45 – 13:45 Uhr

Neurozentriertes Training in der Physiotherapie

Donnerstag, 08.05.2025
12:45 – 13:45 Uhr

Neue onkologische Therapien: Was erreichen wir für unsere Patientinnen und Patienten?

Donnerstag, 15.05.2025
12:45 – 13:45 Uhr

To the training courses at Bethesda Hospital

Training courses to look up

We record all of our training courses. You can watch them on our media centre at any time and from any location.

to the training courses
Bethesda Hospital media centre

BLOG POSTS ABOUT THE RHEUMATISM & PAIN CLINIC

Bethesda Blog

News

for referring physicians and on the topics of the musculoskeletal system

Frauenmedizin

27. March 2025

Brustzentrum Bethesda Spital erneut als «selbsthilfefreundlich» zertifiziert

Das Basler Brustzentrum am Standort Bethesda Spital wurde erneut als «Selbsthilfefreundlich» ausgezeichnet. Die Jury würdigt insbesondere die nachhaltige und enge Zusammenarbeit zwischen den verantwortlichen Fachpersonen im Brustzentrum und der Selbsthilfegruppe Tavola Rosa.
Der Verein Tavola Rosa wurde im November 2020 für Frauen mit Brustkrebs gegründet. Ziel ist es, Betroffenen einen Austausch ausserhalb des privaten Umfelds zu ermöglichen, die Sichtbarkeit zu erhöhen und das Thema Brustkrebs zu enttabuisieren. Der Verein bietet Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe sowie Informationsvermittlung – von Betroffenen für Betroffene. Der Vorstand arbeitet ehrenamtlich und mit grossem persönlichem Engagement.

Das Projekt «Gesundheitskompetenz dank selbsthilfefreundlichen Spitälern» fördert die Zusammenarbeit zwischen lokalen Selbsthilfegruppen und Spitälern. Durch diese Vernetzung lernen Patient*innen und Angehörige die gemeinschaftliche Selbsthilfe kennen und können sie als Unterstützung in ihrem Umgang mit ihrer Erkrankung nutzen. Der Austausch mit Personen, die unter ähnlichen Problemen leiden, vermittelt ein Gefühl des Verstanden-Werdens. Man hilft sich gegenseitig mit praktischen Tipps und stärkt gemeinsam das Erfahrungswissen.  

Herzliche Gratulation an alle Beteiligten für dieses schöne Zeichen der Anerkennung und das kontinuierliche Engagement für Betroffene!

Weiterführende Informationen:

Bethesda Spital / Corporate

04. March 2025

Positive mention of the orthopaedic clinic at Bethesda Hospital in Kassensturz

The orthopaedic clinic at Bethesda Hospital was positively highlighted in an article in the consumer magazine Kassensturz on 4 March 2025. The reason for this is the recording of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), which measure the success of treatment from the patient's perspective.

The programme discussed the fact that although Switzerland has an expensive healthcare system, it does not always perform well when it comes to collecting quality data. PROMs are considered an important indicator as they directly reflect how patients are doing after treatment.

The Orthopaedics Clinic at Bethesda Hospital already actively uses these measurements, for example for shoulder operations. Patients regularly indicate how well they can use their shoulder again. This form of quality measurement offers a valuable addition to classic indicators such as complication or infection rates.

Bethesda Spital / Corporate

28. February 2025

Five times in a row: Bethesda Hospital remains one of the "World's Best Hospitals" in 2025

Every year, the American news magazine "Newsweek" selects the best hospitals in the world. This year, over 2400 hospitals in 30 countries were assessed - and Bethesda Hospital was once again successfully included.

For the fifth time in a row, Bethesda Hospital has achieved a very good ranking among the top hospitals in Switzerland. As in the previous year, it also achieved an excellent 13th place in 2025. This repeated recognition for 2025 is a great confirmation of our ongoing commitment to healthcare and emphasises the consistently high quality of our work.

The ranking is based on a comprehensive evaluation process, including an online survey of thousands of medical experts, patient experience data and hospital quality metrics.

Click here for the ranking