Making a doctor’s appointment is usually thought of as a fairly uncomplicated task but doing so in Italy can turn out to be very tricky, especially if you’ve just relocated to the country and are not quite familiar with how the Italian healthcare system (National Health Serviceor SSN) works.
On top of that, Italian doctors and other healthcare staff are rarely fluent in English and only very few sections of the SSN’s website provide information in languages other than Italian.
So, should you ever be faced with the dreaded task, here’s what you need to know about making a doctor’s appointment in Italy.
Who has access to GPs?
Only people that hold a valid Italian health card (health insurance card) or an equivalent, i.e. a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), can access public GPs’ services.
READ ALSO: Who can register for national healthcare in Italy?
That said, it’s worth reminding that the SSN provides emergency care to anyone in need, regardless of their nationality or immigration status and without asking for upfront payment.
Only people that hold a valid Italian health card or a EU equivalent can access public GP’s services. Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP
Those experiencing a medical emergency can call 118 for an ambulance or head to the emergency ward (emergency room) of the nearest public hospital.
How to register with a GP
In order to make an appointment (visit) with a general practitioner (general practitioner) within the SSN, you must first be registered with the doctor in question.
However, registering with an Italian GP isn’t nearly as straightforward as it should be.
Firstly, patients are expected to view the list of doctors operating within the territory of their local health authority (Local Health Authority, ASL).
Though in some cases these lists can be found online, in others residents will have to directly ask their ASL to be sent a copy.
Then, taking the location and office hours of the listed professionals into account, patients are asked to pick the doctor that’s best suited to their needs and communicate their choice to the ASL.
While in some areas this can be done online, most ASLs ask that patients turn up in person at their Choice and Revocation (Choosing and Cancelling) offices and provide operators with an ID card, a valid Italian health card or equivalent (EHIC or GHIC) and a certificate of residence.
READ ALSO: Who to call and what to say in an emergency in Italy
Registrations are generally processed immediately and doctors’ contact info and booking details are emailed to patients right after.
How to book an appointment
Once you’re registered with a GP, you can go ahead and book your first appointment.
A booking can generally be made via phone, email or, in some cases, online. However, as previously mentioned, healthcare staff, including booking office staff, are rarely fluent in English, so email or online bookings might be the better options if you’re not really proficient in Italian.
Patients can book an appointment with their GP via phone, email or, in some cases, a designated online booking platform. Photo by Nicolas TUCAT / AFP
It’s also worth noting that, albeit providing patients with a set appointment time, Italian GP clinics tend to run a little late, so, depending on the circumstances, you might have to wait up to thirty minutes for your turn.
During the first appointment, patients are usually handed a form to fill out with general information about themselves and their overall health.
Due to the above formalities, the first appointment might last a little bit more than normal appointments, which are usually around 15 to 20 minutes.
All consultations with an Italian GP, including the first appointment, are free of charge.
Referral to specialists
GPs can refer patients to a specialist doctor (specialist) for further diagnostic exams or medical procedures.
However, unlike in other European countries, people choosing to see a specialist through the SSN cannot select the doctor they will be referred to as they will be given the earliest publicly available appointment within the relevant medical field.
READ ALSO: Five essential facts about Italy’s public healthcare system
The referral comes in the form of a red prescription (red recipe) with letters P, D, B and U indicating the different levels of urgency associated with the consultation – P marks the lowest priority level, whereas D is for consultations that must take place within 72 hours from the time of prescription.
The red recipe allows patients to book their appointments online, in person or over the phone by calling the relevant Regional Central Booking Office (Unique Regional Booking CenterCUP).
Patients choosing to see a specialist through the public healthcare system cannot select the doctor they will be referred to. Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP
Again, foreign nationals with a poor command of Italian may find that online bookings are the best available option given that most operators are not fluent in English.
Private doctors
As in other European countries, Italian residents can choose to see private GPs or specialists.
Private healthcare is provided at a fee – anything from €40 to €160, depending on the type of service required – and, in most cases, fees must be paid upfront.
Unlike public health authorities, private providers do not require patients to have a health insurance card or a valid equivalent.
Aside from the above distinctions however, booking an appointment in the private sector is no different than booking one within the SSN, with patients being allowed to book via phone, email or a designated online platform.
If you’re looking for an English-speaking doctor, the US Embassy in Rome and the Consulates General in Milan, Florence and Naples provide lists of English-speaking professionals available for private consultation. These can be downloaded here.
The UK government provides a similar list.
Essential vocabulary and useful sentences
- SSN (National Health Service) – National health system
- ASL (Local Health Authority) – Regional health unit
- General practitioner – General practitioner
- Recipe – Prescription
- Visit – Appointment
- Specialist – Specialist doctor
- Drug – Medicine
- When booking by email or phone, a useful phrase is: I would like to schedule a visit for X of X (I would like to schedule an appointment for [day] at [time]).
- Should you need to cancel the appointment, you could say: Unfortunately, I have to cancel the visit.
- To ask to reschedule it, you could say: It would be possible to move the visit?
To describe your sickness, you can check out our terminology guide for the most common ailments.