Offer

As part of our general and interdisciplinary consultation hours, we offer this service to patients with simple, complex or chronic illnesses, either by appointment or on referral.

Primarily, a detailed assessment of the complaints and a physical examination are carried out in our consultation hours. Depending on the problem, additional investigations are initiated in consultation with the patient. Thanks to the close cooperation with our in-house specialists, we offer our patients interdisciplinary care, advice and treatment. In addition, the wide range of diagnostic options available at the university hospital means that clarification can be carried out quickly.

We offer the following:

• Comprehensive and modern diagnostics to clarify simple or complex medical issues
• Interdisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic advice
• Targeted clarification of existing issues
• Continuous medical follow-up if required
• Concrete therapy suggestions and development of individual therapeutic strategies

The anonymous HIV test allows you to be tested for HIV infection without giving your personal details . You will be informed of the test result in person within 30 minutes. However, if you would like a written confirmation, please bring your ID with you. The cost of the anonymous test is CHF 60 in cash.

As the HIV test can only reliably rule out an HIV infection 6 weeks after a risk situation, a second HIV test may be necessary after this time.

A positive reaction to the rapid HIV test does not prove an HIV infection and must be confirmed with a second test. We would discuss the further procedure regarding the confirmation test with you personally.

Important: The anonymous test center is not the right place to go in an acute risk situation. Please contact your family doctor, the medical outpatient clinic or the emergency ward of the University Hospital Baselimmediately in an emergency, i.e. if possible within 24 hours or as soon as possible.

Registration required by telephone on +41 61 265 50 05

• Opening hours: Test center Medical Polyclinic
  Monday to Friday 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m.
  Monday to Friday 14.00 to 16.00

Kidney stones are a common condition, can be extremely painful (renal colic) and are associated with a high recurrence rate (renewed formation of kidney stones). If they are not treated quickly, they can lead to complications such as urinary retention with deterioration of kidney function, as well as serious infections.

The aim of the kidney stone consultation is to prevent the risk of new stones forming (prevention/metaphylaxis). Referral to the kidney stone consultation is recommended:

• After the first occurrence of a stone in the case of: a family history.
• metabolic diseases such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity and gout.
• other conditions such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal surgery to reduce weight (bariatric surgery), surgical removal of parts of the stomach and/or intestine for other reasons, repeated urinary tract infections, kidney disease, impaired kidney function, primary hyperparathyroidism.

The close cooperation between urologists, radiologists and nephrologists offers optimal care for kidney stone patients with the aim of preventing the formation of new kidney stones.

We offer a special consultation hour for patients who have been diagnosed with Covid and still do not feel really well weeks or even months after the illness.

The service is aimed at adult patients who continue to suffer from symptoms such as a lack of resilience, shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain, severe tiredness (fatigue), concentration problems, smell or taste disorders, depressive moods or anxiety at least 12 weeks after a confirmed coronavirus infection.

If you only suffer from disorders of the sense of smell and/or taste without any other symptoms, please contact the consultation hours for smell and taste disorders at the in-house ear, nose and throat clinic.

We will take a detailed medical history in an initial consultation and use this as the basis for our further diagnostic steps. If necessary, we work closely as an interdisciplinary team with colleagues from the infectiology, neurology, ear, nose and throat clinic, pneumology, cardiology and psychosomatics/psychiatry departments as well as a neuropsychology practice.

As the symptoms can present themselves in very different ways and there is currently no scientifically established therapy, we focus on a multimodal treatment concept in the absence of organ damage.

Smoking is still the most important risk factor for the occurrence of lung, heart, vascular and cancer diseases. Smoking causes massive damage to our health. The best and most important personal health precaution is therefore to stop smoking. However, this is easier said than done. The nicotine in cigarettes leads to physical and psychological dependence, which is why the process of quitting smoking can be difficult.

In order to provide you with lasting support on this path, the Medical Polyclinic offers an individual stop-smoking consultation for anyone who wants to stop smoking.

We offer the following

• Initial consultation with assessment of everyday smoking habits
• Information about the various effects of tobacco and the corresponding symptoms of withdrawal
• Determination of the individual withdrawal strategy and tips and tricks when withdrawal symptoms occur
• Options for medication support
• Individual support and motivation during smoking cessation, as well as advice on preventing weight gain and strategies to prevent relapse
• Advice and information about the lung cancer screening program at the University Hospital Basel.

Initial consultations can be booked online. If you are already a patient with us, please arrange your next appointment by phone or email.

We were one of the first clinics at the University Hospital Basel to offer telephone and video consultations with great success.

Telemedical consultations are safer (for example in connection with Covid-19), easier and faster to schedule for our patients. We also see the many positive responses from our patients as a significant advantage of telemedicine consultations.

We offer the following consultations by telephone and video:

• Hypertension consultation
• Immunology consultation
• Stop smoking advice
• International consultation
• General consultation
• Kidney stone consultation
• Postcovid consultation

Appointments

Appointments can be made at the registration desk.

We offer video consultations via MS teams. Before the appointment, we send patients a link to take part in the consultation. MS-Teams is user-friendly and requires no additional installation.

Opening hours for telemedical consultations

Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm.

Vaccination is a simple and very effective measure to protect against infections. This is particularly important if the immune system is weakened by age, illness or immunological therapies. In addition to the so-called basic immunization (against mumps, measles, rubella, tetanus, influenza, monkeypox), special vaccinations are necessary when travelling to certain regions. The vaccination consultation at the University Hospital Basel is accredited and all vaccinations approved in Switzerland can be administered.

In the vaccination consultation, we are happy to advise anyone who

1. want to check and refresh their vaccination protection (this also includes all routine vaccinations)
2. Would like special advice and vaccination due to a weak immune system (including old age, patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, bone marrow or organ transplants, spleen removal, etc...)
3. Are planning a trip and would like advice on prophylaxis
4. are caring for patients as professionals and therefore require special vaccinations

Appointments

Appointments can be made online or by telephone.

Opening hours: Monday 8.30-12.00 and 13.30-16.30.

For group vaccinations of more than 5 people (e.g. for employees or specific groups), it is best to contact Dr. Christoph Berger(christoph.berger@usb.ch) directly to find a tailor-made solution.

In addition to the vaccination consultation, we also organize a regular training event for interested professionals on the subject of travel medicine and vaccination together with the Swiss Tropical Institute.

Registration by telephone: +41 61 265 50 05

Hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors are a major interest of the Medical Polyclinic (MedPol).

Thanks to the close cooperation with other departments at our hospital (cardiology, endocrinology/diabetology/clinical nutrition, gynecology, nephrology, angiology, radiology), hypertension patients and patients with cardiovascular risk factors can be assessed and treated in our consultation hours on an interdisciplinary basis. In addition to hypertension, we also focus on lipid metabolism disorders.

The hypertension consultation at the University Hospital Basel is recognized by the European Society of Hypertension as a center of excellence (ESH Hypertension Centre of Excellence).

Patients with high blood pressure and/or lipid metabolism disorders are cared for in close cooperation with the referring general practitioner.

We offer the following:

• Comprehensive and modern diagnostics
• Diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated and complex hypertension
• Diagnosis and treatment of therapy-resistant hypertension
• Diagnosis and treatment of secondary hypertension
• Treatment of pregnancy-associated hypertension
• Preliminary clarification and follow-up care for interventional blood pressure treatment procedures (renal denervation)
• Second opinion
• Diagnosis and treatment of lipid metabolism disorders

We carry out various diagnostic procedures in close cooperation with the Department of Cardiology:

Transthoracic echocardiography

• Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an ultrasound procedure for dynamic imaging of the heart. It can be used to examine the condition and function of the heart muscle, the heart valves and the large blood vessels. If necessary, we also use contrast agents.

Electrocardiogram

• The electrocardiogram (ECG) shows the electrical function of the heart. This can provide indications of diseases of the heart muscle, cardiac arrhythmia or circulatory disorders, for example.

24-hour ECG

• With the 24-hour ECG (also known as Holter), adhesive electrodes are attached to the upper body, which are connected to a box with a cable. You wear this device for 24 hours. This provides us with information about any cardiac arrhythmia. During the examination you may go about your normal daily routine and wear your normal clothing. Please make a note of any complaints you may have, giving as exact a time as possible.

24-hour blood pressure measurement

• The 24-hour blood pressure measurement is carried out using a blood pressure cuff that inflates automatically every 20 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night. This allows us to determine your exact blood pressure during normal life. During the examination, you may go about your normal daily routine and wear your normal clothing. Please make a note of any complaints you may have, giving as accurate a time as possible.

Special blood pressure measurements such as automated practice blood pressure, ankle-brachial index, Schellong test

• Automated practice blood pressure: You will be fitted with a blood pressure monitor which automatically measures your blood pressure 3 times in the absence of medical professionals. This can reduce the white coat effect.
• Ankle-Brachial-Index: Also called ABI (Ankle-Brachial-Index). Blood pressure measurement on the arms and legs. This can detect intermittent claudication (peripheral arterial occlusive disease, PAD).
• Schellong test: blood pressure measurement while lying and standing. This allows us to detect drops in blood pressure when standing (so-called orthostasis).

We advise and treat patients with immunological diseases and issues. An interdisciplinary team of doctors formulates individual assessment plans and develops treatment strategies. In addition to clinical networking within the hospital and our own patient-oriented research, the immunology team also has an excellent international network. This ensures that all the latest research findings are incorporated into the treatment of the mostly rare immunological diseases.

The focus of our expertise is on inflammatory systemic autoimmune diseases with a special focus on (i) vascular inflammation (vasculitis consultation), (ii) immunodeficiencies (immunodeficiency consultation) and vaccination advice (vaccination consultation - including complex issues such as vaccinations in immunocompromised patients).

Background

• Intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapies often prolong the duration of hospitalization in patients without an additional indication for hospitalization.
• Outpatient administration of intravenous antibiotics is effective and safe for many indications.
• The most common indications are skin and soft tissue infections, urogenital infections, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and others (IDSA Guidelines, 2004).

Application

• Registration from within the University Hospital of Basel: by the attending physician using the registration form (via ISMED order: Consultation hour order - Consultation hour order - OPAT registration). For questions: OPAT Nurse, internal telephone number 65424.
• External registrations: Send the completed registration form including enclosures to opat.infektiologie@usb.ch. In case of questions or uncertainties: OPAT Nurse (Tel. +41 61 556 54 24).

Professional clarification by an OPAT Nurse (telephone number 6 54 24) on the ward

• Venous situation/venous access (PICC-line, port-à-cath, peripheral line, butterfly)
• Place of administration (medical outpatient clinic, GP practice, Spitex or at home)
• Cost approval
• Mobility of the patient/transport
• Patient information

Implementation of OPAT at the Medical Polyclinic under the direction of the Infectious Diseases & Hospital Hygiene Clinic/Medical Polyclinic or coordination with other clinics in the hospital, GP/Spitex

• Administration of intravenous therapy
• Wound checks/bandage changes
• Organization of outpatient medical check-ups or further clarifications
• Consultation with the family doctor

Documents

• OPAT registration
• OPAT patient information
• Registration for Daily Observed Therapy (DOT)

Consultation hours for patients with rare, possibly genetic heart muscle diseases and cardiac arrhythmias, as well as their family members. The consultation is carried out in cooperation between the Cardiology Department and the Medical Polyclinic.

We offer diagnostics including family clarification and medical/cardiological care in cases of suspected or confirmed diagnosis of rare heart diseases.

You will receive a request from us for consultation appointments and, if necessary, diagnostics such as ECG, signal-averaged ECG, long-term ECG, echocardiography and/or stress tests. If necessary, we will discuss further examinations with you during the consultation. You will receive a questionnaire about illnesses in your family together with the request, as some of these illnesses may occur more frequently in the family. Please bring any documents from previous heart examinations with you.

The day clinic is an important part of the medical outpatient clinic and currently has 8 beds. Over 2500 patients are treated as outpatients every year.

The day clinic is supervised by an experienced nursing team and a senior physician from the Medical Polyclinic.

We receive referrals externally from GPs and internally from specialist departments as well as from the outpatient clinic itself.

We offer a comprehensive range of outpatient treatments, assessments and therapies:

• Erythrocyte transfusions
• Iron therapy (Ferinject/Venofer®)
• Infusions, especially antibiotics and immunoglobulin administration
• Punctures (lumbar puncture, ascites puncture, pleural puncture, etc.)
• Monitored medication administration
• Patient monitoring
• Blood sampling

In addition, specialist therapies are offered with corresponding care by the respective specialist department:

• Monitoring after interventions (kidney biopsy)
• Bone marrow examination (cytology and biopsy)
• Hematological therapies, especially administration of coagulation factors
• Desensitization
• Special medical therapies (immunoglobulin administration, antibody therapy, etc.)

Some people have persistent complaints for which no satisfactory diagnosis could be made in advance despite extensive diagnostics. Our center is intended to be a point of contact for these people or their treating physicians.

The consultation for adults without a diagnosis at the University Hospital Basel is an interdisciplinary service. This means that specialists from various disciplines are consulted as required. Together, we consider whether a rare disease could be the cause, taking into account the existing findings. Despite intensive efforts and using the possibilities of university medicine, we also experience cases where we are unable to make a satisfactory diagnosis. Nevertheless, even in such cases we will try to help you manage your symptoms as best we can.

Please note that our contact point is not available for acute emergencies. In such cases, please contact your local health care facilities.

Registration

Please understand that we can only process referrals from your treating doctor.

The following documents must be submitted to us for a referral:

1. Concise summary of the objectifiable pathological findings as well as the comprehensive preliminary clarifications (incl. presentation at a university center) with a list of diagnoses of the somatic and psychological diagnoses made to date as well as a list of previous diagnostics and treatments. Please do NOT send us individual findings in addition, but only a complete summary in which the individual investigations are clearly presented. If necessary, we will ask for further documents at a later date.
   
2. We can only take action on your behalf once we have received all the necessary documents (complete medical referral letter (see above) and the patient's declaration of consent ) in writing. These documents can be sent to: rarediseasesbasel@ukbb.ch.
   
3. Referrals that do not meet the above criteria cannot be considered due to the large number of requests.

Depending on the assessment of the documents provided to us, your doctor will receive a recommendation for further action and any clarification steps; if necessary, we will also call you in person for a consultation.

Please note that costs will be incurred from the time of your registration, which are generally covered by the statutory health insurance companies (less the agreed deductible). Please note in particular that services will be provided for you in your absence (usually time-consuming study of files and consultations with pre-treatment specialists or other disciplines) before you are examined by us. This also applies in the event that we come to the conclusion after a detailed study of the files that a personal presentation in our consultation is not necessary or useful.

Due to the large number of inquiries, it may take several months before you are contacted by us. Contacting us by telephone is not necessary and will not speed up processing. We treat every inquiry equally and prioritize them internally according to urgency.

Forms

• Brochure for children and adolescents from the University Center for Rare Diseases Basel UKBB
• Declaration of consent

The Medical Outpatient Clinic has always taken pride in providing medical care in English, and currently we are aiming at making this service more accessible. Doctors from the Medical Outpatient Clinic are available for all English-speaking patients requiring general check-ups, lab and diagnostic tests, referrals to specialists and other services. We can explain and document your results in English. We aim to make your experience as comfortable as possible, starting with initial contact to make an appointment and transparency regarding insurance and billing.

These are some of the services we offer:

• general check-up
• evaluation and second opinions for simple, complex and chronic health problems
• diagnostics (sonography, echocardiography, ECG, 24h-ECG, cardiac exercise test ergometry, 24h-blood pressure measurements, overnight pulse oximetry, spirometry)
• hypertension and cardiovascular risk assessment
• iron infusions
• vaccinations

• we offer counselling and if needed testing for vaccine-preventable diseases to optimize your immunization status/record, as well as serological STD or chronic infectious disease screening.

• serological test including COVID-19 antibody testing
  • this test only indicates whether there has been significant contact with the virus

for International Patients:
International Patient Service

Phone +41 61 556 57 55
international@usb.ch