Tips for emergency situations
In an emergency, every minute counts. Call the emergency number 144.
The emergency call center coordinates all of the emergency medical resources in the canton of Bern. It knows where your closest available service is located. If you contact a hospital, your call will be forwarded to the emergency call center. This wastes valuable time.
The ambulance staff are trained and equipped to deal with any emergency medical situation. They will provide first aid to the acutely ill or injured person on-site before transporting them to the nearest appropriate hospital where further medical treatment will be given.
Emergency department
At the fmi hospitals in Interlaken and Frutigen, we offer local residents and visitors to the Bernese Oberland outstanding interdisciplinary emergency care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The level of urgency determines the speed of treatment
The number of cases treated in the Alpine Emergency Center (Alpine Notfallzentrum) in Unterseen and the emergency department at our Spital Frutigen hospital has risen sharply in recent months. The reason for this is that more and more family doctors are closing their offices while increasing numbers of guests are visiting the region from within Switzerland or further afield. Many people don't know that in hospital emergency departments, the urgency of the case determines who is treated first, not the time the patient arrived. This means that patients can be subject to long waiting times. We therefore recommend that if your condition is less serious, you visit your family doctor or our Walk-in Clinic in Interlaken.
Spital Interlaken
Alpine Emergency Center (Alpine Notfallzentrum)Spital Frutigen
Emergency Department (Notfall)Tel-Nr. +41 33 672 26 26 *
Assistance during a mental health crisis
We provide fast assistance to those suffering mental health emergencies and crises and their relatives. Our emergency service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Please note: Our emergency service is only available to adults (18 years of age and older). For children or young people suffering a mental health emergency, you can find help here.
Psychiatric emergency service
Office hours (weekdays)Tel-Nr. +41 33 826 23 21 *
Psychiatric emergency service
Outside Office HoursTel-Nr. +41 33 826 26 26 *