Where to get Medical Care in Rome
If you’re in Rome as a student, a tourist or as a temporary resident, you’re probably planning on eating a lot of pasta, drinking lots of wine and coffee and of course visiting historical monuments. Heck, you might actually know how to get to the Trevi Fountain or Trastevere before even arriving in Rome! La vita è bella in Roma: everyone says it or thinks it until somebody gets sick – or even worse – breaks an ankle or suffers from what you think might be bronchitis. So what now? What should you do? Here are a few things to know about the medical system in Rome so you can prepare yourself!
Insurance Coverage
When travelling, studying or living abroad, it is important to inquire and get personal medical insurance as medical care can quickly become very expensive if you don’t understand the local regulations or have proper coverage. We suggest that you consult your embassy to get more information on insurance coverage in Italy.
Non-Emergency Care
Getting medical care can be difficult and perhaps even provoke anxiety for the simple fact that you are now in a city where finding English speaking medical professionals can be limited if you don’t know where to go. Unlike home, walking into a clinic or a hospital doesn’t guarantee medical services in your desired language. So, if you are in need of an English-speaking doctor, MedinAction is the fastest and easiest solution for you. MedinAction provides on-demand house call services and sends an English-speaking doctor right to your dorm, house or hotel. The MedinAction doctors are guaranteed to be at your doorstep within 60-90 minutes, and if required, they can even coordinate referrals to local clinics or hospitals for further tests, treatments or care. It’s as easy as making a phone call or making a request via the MedinAction website or App.
If you’re searching for other English-speaking medical services in Rome, check out our guide.
Hospitals and Emergency Rooms
In the event of an accident or if you’re in need of life-threatening emergency care, you can either dial 118 for an ambulance or visit the emergency room (Pronto Soccorso) of any public hospital. The ERs are usually quite busy in Rome and rooms in Lazio on the Pronto Soccorso Regionale Lazio website: https://www.salutelazio.it/pronto-soccorso
Pharmacies
Most pharmacies in Rome follow standard Italian shopping hours, although there are a few late night pharmacies in Rome if you need to purchase over the counter medication or fill out a prescription. The MedinAction website has a blog « How do you ask for that at the pharmacy» for those who require some help translating names of MedinAction.
Being well prepared and knowledgeable about medical services in Rome can help make your stay a little more enjoyable and stress-free. Although we hope you have a safe and healthy visit while in Rome, we do hope that this information can help you in making informed and stress-free decisions.
