Medical website in Switzerland: FADP, medical confidentiality and best practices

A health website handles a sensitive subject and engages the practitioner’s responsibility. Beyond quality, a website for a healthcare professional must be compliant: data protection, medical confidentiality and caution around content. Here are the best practices. (This article is informational and does not replace legal advice.)

Why compliance is crucial for a medical website

Compliance isn’t just a constraint: it’s a token of trust and a credibility factor in the eyes of patients as well as search engines. A health site that’s negligent about data or too promotional in its claims exposes itself to legal risks and a loss of trust. Conversely, a rigorous site reassures and stands out. These principles apply from the creation of a medical practice website. Beyond legal risk, it’s the practitioner’s image at stake: an attentive patient quickly notices a site that asks for too much information, that promises the impossible or whose legal notices are missing. Compliance then becomes a genuine differentiator, reflecting the same care brought to the consultation.

The revFADP: protecting patients’ data

The revised Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (revFADP), which came into force in September 2023, governs the collection and processing of personal data, including health data considered sensitive. In practice, for a website: clear information for visitors (privacy policy), a legal basis for each processing operation, minimisation of the data collected and respect for individuals’ rights. Any form that collects information falls within this framework.

Medical confidentiality and contact forms

Medical confidentiality requires particular vigilance over online exchanges. A contact form should never invite the patient to detail their health condition, and the messages received must be transmitted and stored securely. A simple channel (booking, callback request) is better than a form prompting the patient to provide medical information in writing. If a detailed exchange is necessary, it’s better to reserve it for a secure channel and make that clear to the patient. Indicate, for example, that the form is used only to arrange an appointment, not to transmit a medical record. This clarity protects both patient and practitioner, and prevents sensitive data from circulating through unsuitable means.

Health claims: staying honest

Content must inform without misleading: no promise of a cure, no misleading comparison, no unverifiable statistic. Present procedures, their indications and how they unfold in a factual way. This rigour protects the practitioner and reinforces trust — it’s worth more than a marketing pitch for a health subject. Cite your sources where relevant, date your content and clearly distinguish general information from personalised advice, which falls to the consultation. This editorial rigour is precisely what demanding patients value.

Security, E-E-A-T and visibility

On the technical side: HTTPS, controlled hosting, updates and backups. On the editorial side: transparency about the author, the sources and the dates. This trustworthiness (the “E-E-A-T” principle) serves both patients’ trust, SEO and the way AIs cite your site. To understand this issue of citation by answer engines, see our GEO guide.