Patient data in Switzerland
Patient data is sensitive personal data, and doctors together with their auxiliaries are bound by the professional secrecy of Article 321 of the Criminal Code; breaching it is a criminal offence.
Definition
Hosting abroad is therefore not automatically forbidden. But the provider becomes an auxiliary and must be bound contractually as strictly as the practice staff — including its subprocessors.
The three questions that need a written answer: where does the data sit, which subprocessors are involved, and could a foreign authority demand access? The third is the uncomfortable one, because it cannot be negotiated away by contract.
Where to read it
What the software must be able to do
Demand the data processing agreement with the list of subprocessors, not a sentence on the website. Second check: roles and rights in the program — who sees which patient data, and is access logged?
Checked Aug 2026
More terms under Procurement, operation and data: Client data in Switzerland Data hosted in Switzerland MediData Partner required Trust Center