Medgate
Allschwil-based telemedicine centre working with health insurers, pharmacies, practices, hospitals and cantons across Switzerland
Quick Overview
| Company | Medgate AG |
|---|---|
| Category | Telehealth Platforms |
| Headquarters | Allschwil, Switzerland |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Switzerland (non-EU, adequacy decision) |
| Data Location | Not stated on the pages checked |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Telephone and app consultations, video and chat, e-prescriptions, medical certificates, referrals, kids line, pharmacy diagnostics, emergency line support |
| Pricing | Access through the patient's health insurance model; see website |
| Best For | Swiss insured persons whose insurer offers a telemedicine-first model, and Swiss institutions that need an on-call doctor team |
| Replaces | Teladoc Health, Amwell |
Detailed Review
Medgate says it has run Europe's largest telemedical doctors' centre since 2000, and that it created Switzerland's first Telmed insurance model in 2003 together with its partners. The company site is operated by Medgate AG in Allschwil.
More than 150 employed doctors and an in-house IT team of about 30 people work on the service, and the central software is built in house, according to the company page.
Built with insurers
Medgate's main route to patients is through health insurers. Its partner page describes a modular set of configurable solutions for insurers, developed with them for more than 20 years.
Patients get in by phone or app, and the FAQ says the medical service is the same through either; the app adds self-booking, symptom entry and a document store.
Pharmacies and practices
Medgate Connect pairs digital diagnostics with a pharmacy: sensor examinations are sent in real time to the doctor team, and blood can be drawn on site or sent to a partner lab.
For practices, Medgate offers to absorb demand peaks and times when the practice is closed, and says it can treat more than three quarters of cases by phone.
Emergency and cantonal work
Hospitals can hand their telephone line to Medgate to relieve the emergency ward, and cantons can use it for the on-call medical service, with costs billed through health insurance under the polluter-pays principle.
A paediatric team called Kids Line is trained specifically in telemedicine.
Limitations to Consider
Medgate is organised around the Swiss insurance system and its insurer partners, so access depends on your insurance model and verified insurance card number. The app needs a stable internet connection, and video should be avoided on a weak line. The company states roughly half of patients can be treated fully remotely, which leaves the rest to be referred. Switzerland is outside the EU, although it is covered by an EU adequacy decision. The pages checked do not list prices.
Who Should Use Medgate
Swiss insured persons with a telemedicine-first insurance model, plus insurers, pharmacies, hospitals and cantons that want to add a physician-staffed telemedicine service.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- More than 150 employed doctors
- Phone and app give the same medical service
- Pharmacy diagnostics via Medgate Connect
- Built with insurers and cantons
- Software developed in house
Cons
- Access tied to Swiss insurance
- Roughly half of patients can be fully treated remotely
- Needs a stable connection for the app
- Prices not listed on the pages checked
Alternatives to Medgate
Other European telehealth platforms worth comparing before you decide:
TeleClinic
Germany · Video appointments with e-prescription and digital sick note
Qare
France · Reimbursed GP video visits from 6am to midnight
Kry
Sweden · Doctor, nurse and psychologist visits in a BankID app
Doctor Care Anywhere
United Kingdom · Private GP, physio and mental health appointments by video
See all European telehealth platforms or compare them directly against Teladoc Health on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
By phone or through the Medgate app. The FAQ says the medical service is the same through both, and the app adds self-booking, symptom entry and document upload.
Yes. Medgate Connect combines digital diagnostics with pharmacy know-how, from sensor examinations sent in real time to a doctor to blood draws on site or at a partner lab.
No. Its FAQ says about half of patients can be treated completely by telemedicine, and the rest are guided onward.