Heart Centre Switzerland
Cardiance Group

A heart centre brings the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease together in one place. Typical features are its own cardiac catheterisation laboratory, imaging such as echocardiography and stress testing, and a permanent team of cardiologists. The term is not legally protected in Switzerland, so what matters is which services a centre actually provides.

Six criteria can help you assess a centre: Does it have its own cardiac catheterisation laboratory? How many procedures are performed there each year? What quality certifications does it hold? How long is the wait for an appointment? Are procedures carried out as outpatient or inpatient treatment? And is there one dedicated contact person throughout your entire treatment? How much weight each criterion deserves depends on your condition and your personal circumstances.

At an outpatient heart centre, patients arrive in the morning, are examined or treated, and go home again the same day. An inpatient centre additionally has beds for overnight stays, an intensive care unit and, as a rule, a cardiac surgery department. Planned procedures such as a diagnostic cardiac catheterisation can be carried out on an outpatient basis in stable patients; emergencies and complex procedures belong in an inpatient setting.

Cardiance Group runs two cardiology clinics, each with its own cardiac catheterisation laboratory: Ergolz Klinik in Liestal BL and Cardiance Clinic in Pfäffikon SZ. The focus is on outpatient diagnostics and interventional cardiology. Cardiac surgery and an intensive care unit are not part of our facilities — for procedures that require them, we work with partner hospitals.

First appointments are usually available within 48 hours on working days. Our patient administration team will get back to you within one working day of your enquiry. If you have acute symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath, always call 144 immediately.

If your treatment is billed through basic health insurance, a referral from your GP or a community-based cardiologist is common depending on your insurance model, but not always mandatory. Self-paying and privately insured patients can register directly. We will clarify your situation in an initial consultation.

Yes. Both locations are easy to reach — Liestal is around 20 minutes from Basel and EuroAirport, Pfäffikon SZ around 30 minutes from Zurich. For self-paying patients, we provide a cost estimate in advance. Please let us know about any language requirements when you register.

Yes, a cardiology second opinion is expressly welcome — especially before planned procedures such as stent implantation or bypass surgery. Please bring any existing findings: cardiac catheterisation images, echocardiography report, stress test and medication list. The more complete your records, the more reliable the assessment.

Where there is a medical indication, cardiac assessments and procedures are mandatory benefits of compulsory basic health insurance under the Swiss Health Insurance Act (KVG). You pay your deductible (franchise) and co-payment. Additional services and treatments without a medical indication are at your own expense — we will inform you of this in advance.

Cardiance Group was the first in Switzerland to implement this model consistently: invasive cardiology, including cardiac catheterisation, in an outpatient setting, with discharge on the same day instead of a hospital stay of several days. More than 95 per cent of diagnostic procedures are carried out this way.