Treatment Options at Walk-In Clinics

Scope of care

Walk-in clinics in Switzerland are equipped for ambulatory emergency medicine: they can diagnose, treat, prescribe, and refer — but they do not admit patients, do not perform surgery, and do not handle life-threatening emergencies. Their scope covers the vast majority of acute medical issues that do not require hospitalization.

Think of a walk-in clinic as a GP practice with extended hours, on-site diagnostics, and a focus on same-day acute care. The doctors are generalists who can assess a wide range of conditions and determine whether you need treatment on the spot, a prescription to manage at home, or a referral to a specialist or hospital.

Common conditions treated

Walk-in clinics routinely handle:

Respiratory and ENT

• Upper respiratory infections (cold, flu, bronchitis)
• Sore throat, tonsillitis, laryngitis
• Ear infections (otitis media, otitis externa)
• Sinusitis
• Persistent cough
• Mild to moderate asthma exacerbations

Urinary and abdominal

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Stomach pain, gastroenteritis
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Mild food poisoning

Musculoskeletal and injuries

• Sprains, strains, minor joint injuries
• Cuts, lacerations, and wounds needing stitches
• Minor burns (first-degree, small second-degree)
• Suspected fractures (X-ray on-site, splinting, referral for orthopaedic follow-up)
• Back pain, neck pain, muscle pain
• Insect bites and stings

Skin and allergies

• Rashes, eczema flare-ups
• Allergic reactions (non-anaphylactic — hives, swelling, itching)
• Skin infections, abscesses
• Sunburn
• Tick bites (assessment, removal, prophylaxis discussion)

Eyes

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• Foreign body in the eye
• Eye irritation and mild infections

General

• Fever of unknown origin
• Headaches and migraines
• Dizziness
• Dehydration
• Mild anxiety or panic attacks (initial assessment)

Diagnostics available

Walk-in clinics in Switzerland have on-site diagnostic capabilities that allow rapid assessment:

• Blood tests: CRP (inflammation marker), complete blood count, blood sugar, liver and kidney values, thyroid, and more. Many clinics have rapid point-of-care testing with results in 15-30 minutes for key markers.
• Urine tests: Dipstick analysis and culture for UTI diagnosis.
• X-ray: Most walk-in clinics have an X-ray machine for bone injuries, chest X-rays, and joint assessment.
• Ultrasound: Available at many clinics — useful for abdominal assessment, musculoskeletal issues, and basic cardiac screening.
• ECG: Electrocardiogram for cardiac rhythm assessment and chest pain workup.
• Rapid tests: Strep test, flu test, COVID test, and other point-of-care rapid antigen or PCR tests.

Minor procedures

Walk-in clinic doctors can perform a range of minor procedures on the spot:

• Wound care: Cleaning, stitching (suturing), stapling, and dressing of cuts and lacerations.
• Splinting and immobilization: Temporary splints for suspected fractures or severe sprains, with referral for definitive orthopaedic care.
• Abscess drainage: Incision and drainage of superficial abscesses under local anaesthesia.
• Foreign body removal: Splinters, small objects in the ear, foreign bodies in the eye (superficial).
• Wound debridement: Cleaning of infected or contaminated wounds.
• Injections: Intramuscular or subcutaneous injections (pain relief, anti-nausea, antibiotics, vaccinations).
• Nebulization: Inhaled medication for asthma or bronchitis exacerbations.

Prescriptions and documentation

Walk-in clinic doctors can issue:

• Prescriptions: For antibiotics, pain medication, and other necessary drugs. You take the prescription to any pharmacy (Apotheke).
• Sick notes (Arztzeugnis): A medical certificate confirming that you are unfit for work. This is legally required in Switzerland if you are absent from work for more than 3 days (or from day 1 if your employer requires it). The walk-in clinic doctor can issue this on the spot.
• Referral letters: If you need specialist follow-up (orthopaedics, dermatology, ENT, etc.), the doctor writes a referral letter (Überweisungsschreiben) that you take to the specialist.
• Medical reports: The clinic can send a summary report to your regular GP (Hausarzt) so they have a record of what was diagnosed and treated. This is standard practice if you provide your GP's details.

What walk-in clinics CANNOT do

Walk-in clinics are not equipped for:

• Surgery: No operating theatre, no general anaesthesia. Anything beyond minor procedures under local anaesthesia requires a hospital.
• Overnight admission: Walk-in clinics are strictly ambulatory. If you need observation or monitoring beyond a few hours, you will be transferred to a hospital.
• Complex trauma: Major fractures, deep lacerations with tendon or nerve damage, head trauma with loss of consciousness — these require a hospital emergency department.
• Cardiac emergencies: Chest pain with suspected heart attack, cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac arrest — call 144 immediately.
• Stroke: Sudden weakness, speech problems, facial drooping — call 144 immediately. Time-critical treatment (thrombolysis) is only available at hospitals.
• Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis): While a walk-in clinic can administer epinephrine in an emergency, anaphylaxis requires hospital monitoring afterward. Call 144.
• Psychiatric emergencies: Acute psychosis, suicidal crisis, or severe mental health emergencies require specialized psychiatric emergency services.

Average visit duration

A typical walk-in clinic visit takes 30 to 90 minutes from arrival to departure:

• Registration and triage: 5-10 minutes
• Wait time: 10-60 minutes (depending on clinic load and your triage priority)
• Consultation and examination: 15-30 minutes
• Diagnostics (if needed): 15-45 minutes additional (for blood results, X-ray processing)
• Treatment and discharge: 5-15 minutes

If the clinic is busy (Monday mornings, winter flu season, after-hours periods), expect to be on the longer end. If you arrive during a quiet time with a straightforward complaint, you may be in and out in 30 minutes.

Follow-up after your visit

After a walk-in clinic visit, the standard recommendation is:

• Follow up with your GP: Within 3-5 days for any condition that needs monitoring (wound checks, test result reviews, ongoing medication management).
• Specialist referral: If the walk-in doctor identified a need for specialist care, book the referral appointment as soon as possible.
• Return to the walk-in clinic: If your condition worsens before you can see your GP, you can always return to the walk-in clinic or go to a hospital emergency department if the situation becomes more serious.

If you do not have a regular GP in Switzerland, the walk-in clinic can recommend one in your area. Establishing a Hausarzt relationship is strongly recommended for ongoing healthcare management.