Arrangement for psychological psychotherapy

For the treatment of complex psychosomatic patients, it is advisable to work together in an interprofessional “triad”: As a rule, this therapeutic triad consists of a doctor, a physiotherapist and a psychologist in charge of the case. The ordering of physiotherapy is regulated in the same way for all medical areas. When ordering psychological psychotherapy, the following rules must be observed for SAPPM title holders:

Order procedure for psychological psychotherapy

  1. The SAPPM title holders are authorized to prescribe psychological psychotherapy.
    The registration form can be found here.
  2. This first arrangement can be extended by a further 15 sessions after 15 sessions without any major administrative effort (using the same form).
  3. If it becomes apparent that a prescribed psychological psychotherapy will require more than 30 sessions, an extension request.
    In contrast to general practitioners and pediatricians, SAPPM title holders can initiate this extension application on their own (i.e. without additionally consulting an external assessment by a specialist in psychiatry & psychotherapy).
  4. Ideally, the co-treating psychologist (from approx. the 25th session onwards) will write a progress report for the attention of the ordering title holder using the SAPPM’s own extension request form.
  5. The title holder completes this extension application form with the necessary additional information (justification for the extension) on the cover sheet and sends the entire application to the medical examiner of the health insurance company.
    The final page of the form contains information on legal remedies for the attention of the health insurer.
  6. Of course, this application procedure only applies to prescribed psychological psychotherapy (formerly: “delegated psychotherapy”) and not to the medical treatment activities of SAPPM title holders.

Are you a SAPPM member and do you have questions regarding the feasibility of your psychosomatic practice idea?

The following colleagues are willing to provide you with non-binding information:

Dr. med. Barbara Riedl, FMH General Internal Medicine, spec. Psychosomatic and Psychosocial Medicine SAPPM, Burgdorf dr.riedl@hin.ch

Dr. med. Alexander Minzer, FMH General Internal Medicine, spec.
Psychosomatic and Psychosocial Medicine SAPPM, Rothrist alexander.minzer@hin.ch

Dr. med. Anne Pelet FMH Médecine Interne Générale, Médecine Psychosomatique et psychosociale ASMPP, Médecine de l’addiction, Neuchâtel anne.pelet@hin.ch