How to choose a rehab clinic in Switzerland
To choose a rehab clinic in Switzerland, start with your clinical need. Then ask every shortlisted clinic nine questions. They cover its licence, medical leadership, on-site detox, staff ratio, format, therapies, treatment of co-occurring conditions, aftercare and what the price includes.
By the Switzerland Recovery editorial team · Updated · 8 min read
Start with the clinical need, not the view
Many Swiss clinics have beautiful settings. The right choice depends on medical needs. Is medical detox required? Is there a co-occurring psychiatric condition? Is the addiction behavioural, such as gambling?
If you are unsure which level of care fits, read detox, rehab or psychiatric clinic. For co-occurring conditions, see dual diagnosis explained. For withdrawal, see what happens during medical detox.
Nine questions to ask
Ask each shortlisted clinic these questions in writing:
- Is the clinic licensed as a hospital or psychiatric clinic by the canton?
- Who leads treatment: a psychiatrist, an addiction physician or a counsellor?
- Can you safely manage medical detox on site, around the clock?
- How many clinical staff work with each client per week?
- Is the programme one-client, small-group or ward-based?
- Which evidence-based therapies do you use?
- How do you treat co-occurring depression, ADHD or trauma?
- What does aftercare include, and for how long?
- What exactly is included in the price?
“No single treatment is appropriate for everyone.”
Check the licence and medical leadership
Doctors who practise under their own professional responsibility need a licence from the canton where they work (Fedlex: MedBG). Medical institutions need a cantonal operating licence. In the canton of Zurich, this requires suitable facilities, the necessary staff and a medically responsible manager licensed in Zurich (Canton of Zurich, 2024). Rules differ by canton.
Basic health insurance pays only for clinics on a cantonal hospital list (Fedlex: KVG Art. 39). Ask whether the clinic is listed if insurance cover matters to you.
Ask how co-occurring conditions are treated
Co-occurring mental disorders are the rule rather than the exception in addiction care. In a 2024 survey of Swiss addiction services, about 6 in 10 institutions reported that more than 60% of their clients had one (Addiction Switzerland, 2024). Depression was the most common.
A clinic without psychiatric depth may treat the addiction and miss the driver behind it. Ask who diagnoses and treats depression, anxiety, ADHD or trauma during the stay.
One-client, small-group or psychiatric hospital
One-client residences such as Paracelsus Recovery, The Kusnacht Practice and CALDA Clinic offer maximum privacy and individual design. Small-group clinics such as Clinic Les Alpes add peer support. Private psychiatric hospitals such as Sanatorium Kilchberg, La Métairie and Meiringen provide hospital-level care for complex cases.
Format affects price as well as care. Our guide to the cost of rehab in Switzerland sets out the price levels.
Look closely at aftercare
Aftercare is where many programmes differ most. Relapse rates for substance use disorders are 40 to 60 percent (NIDA, 2020). A meta-analysis found that continuing care after initial treatment has a small but significant positive effect (J Subst Abuse Treat, 2014).
Ask for a written aftercare plan. Ask who delivers it, how often and for how long. Ask whether the clinic links you with peer support groups near your home.
Related treatment pages
Frequently asked questions
Can you recommend a clinic for me?
Yes. Our free, confidential assessment matches your needs with suitable clinics and handles the admission process.
