How to Find a Doctor in Italy
The Italian healthcare system is free and extremely efficient; once you have a tessera sanitaria, you can access public healthcare anywhere in Italy. Although the ratio of doctor to patient is relatively high in Italy, it can still be hard to find a doctor who speaks English.
The ASL
The ASL, the local health authority, Azienda Sanitaria Locale, can help give you preliminary information on general practitioners in your area, as you must get a GP in your area of residency. To see where the nearest ASL is to you, click here. In your ASL, there will be a list of available doctors and a general overview of their practice and their specialization. This is a broad overview and you can directly contact their office for more information. If you are not satisfied with your GP’s services, you can request a change.
Ministero della Salute
The sanitary agency also provides an online database, which is updated annually. To access it, click here
Private Healthcare
Although the public healthcare system in Italy is advanced and effective, often the wait times to get appointments can be very long, resulting in many people having to go to the pronto soccorso or the emergency room instead to sort out their problems, but even then, it can take a long time. Private healthcare in Italy is not covered by the tessera sanitaria, so you can apply for private healthcare insurance through your bank, as this system costs more. You can also request private specialists from your local GP. Private healthcare is available to tourists who don’t have a health insurance card that is applicable in Italy, such as a Non-EU public insurance. Medical costs can be reduced through travel insurance policies and individual health insurance plans.
Pharmacies
For emergencies or general information, pharmacies in Italy are well equipped and knowledgeable about practitioners and can often recommend certain doctors themselves, as well as give you medical assistance on the spot free of charge with your tessera sanitaria.
You can also directly call specialists at Centro Unico Prenotazioni (CUP) at 800 098798 from a landline and 0721 1779301 from a mobile phone.
English speaking doctors
Most doctors in Italy, especially in bigger cities such as Milan and Rome, will have English-speaking doctors who speak at a good level; however, it can sometimes be hard to get your point across or find a doctor who speaks fluently, which may be troublesome for expats. In this case, you can find English speaking doctors in Italy through these websites
https://www.doctorsinitaly.com/
As well as the UK embassy’s own list provided here, you can consult your national embassy and ask them for English speaking doctor recommendations, as embassies often have their own databases.
Appointments
It is very rare and almost impossible to see a doctor in Italy without an appointment unless you are in the pronto soccorso or the emergency centre. To book an appointment, you can call your GP over the phone; their opening times will be written on their website and sometimes in the databases provided above. You can also book online privately through the CUP. Specialists always tend to be privately booked and will charge you extra, even through the public healthcare system. Specialists can have additional service fees. It is recommended to go to your appointments slightly early to avoid wait times, as the hospitals can get busy very fast.
Emergency call lines 118 and 112
This article is written for informative purposes only, with the aim of providing a general overview of procedures. Please check the official website of local Italian authorities for up-to-date information
Useful websites and links
https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/home.html
https://www.agenziaentrate.gov.it/portale/web/guest/iscrizione-al-servizio-sanitario-nazionale
Article by Easy Milano Editorial Staff
Featured image Kitty Fly
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