ITALY | Emergency | Emergency services
Emergency services in general
In Italy, as in other member states of the EU, everyone has the same medical and health benefits as citizens of other member countries.
The Interior Ministry is the Public Security National Authority and is responsible for public order and security maintenance. The function of Public Security Administration is exercised, at central level, by the Public Security Department. As envisaged by law, the Public Security Department has the task of:
- Implementing public order and security policy through the identification of both technical and operational guidelines and management goals, on the basis of ministerial guidelines and with a subsequent control of the results achieved,
- Ensuring the technical and operational co-ordination and unitary direction of Police Forces,
- Carrying out the tasks of direction and management of the State Police, that is a Police Force having a general competence and a civil status and
- Handling the technical supports also for the Ministry of the Interior general needs.
In Italy, you can dial 112 (Carabinieri) or 113 (Polizia) in order to reach the public emergency service. It is advisable to dial those numbers only in case of a real emergency.
Other useful numbers are:
- 115 - Fire Department (Vigili del Fuoco)
- 116 - Road service (Automobil Club Italiano)
- 117 - Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza)
- 118 - Ambulance Service (Emergenza sanitaria)
All calls to these numbers are free of charge.
In every city and tourist resort, there is also a medical service which offers emergency treatment and first aid.
Insurances
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives students access to medically necessary healthcare during temporary stays in most European countries under the same conditions as local residents. It is free of charge and should be carried alongside your regular health insurance documents when completing an internship abroad.
In Italy, this card is known as the TEAM (Tessera Europea Assicurazione Malattia). The old E111 form was replaced by the EHIC in 2005.
A private citizen can be insured against medical illness treament costs by paying an insurance premium. The services include reimbursement of hospital expenses (fully paid in NHS clinics and partially paid in others), expenses for house calls and visits to doctors' offices, surgery, and physical or rehabilitation therapy.
Prescriptions
Both prescription and over-the-counter medicines and medicinal products, are only sold only in pharmacies. Medical prescriptions expire after ten days.