GENERAL
PREPARATIONS
LIFE IN GENOA
MEDICAL CARE
updated: 3 October 2023
EMERGENCY NUMBER: 112 (police, fire and medical emergency)
MEDICAL EMERGENCY/AMBULANCE: 118
TAXI : 010 5966
EMERGENCY ROOM: PRONTO SOCCORSO Ospedale Galliera or Ospedale San Martino
PRIVATE CLINIC: SYNLAB Il Baluardo (porto antico), 010 247 1034
medical care
Emergency medical care is available to all, even foreigners, provided by the state of Italy. If anyone has a (real) medical emergency, you can call an ambulance (112 or 118) or go directly by cab to the emergency room (pronto soccorso) to receive care. Bring identification such as your passport or a photocopy and know your local address. The closest hospital to our academic facilities is Ospedale Galliera, but Ospedale San Martino is a bigger hospital and a good option.
Your program professor or the local program director can accompany you to assist with initial communication. However, new hospital regulations prevent anyone from staying with the patient.
Above all, do not hesitate to go to the emergency room if you need care for any type of serious incident. If there is any charge at all it will be minimal.
emergency room
If you choose to go to the emergency room, your case will be evaluated and prioritized. A serious injury or real emergency will get more immediate attention than a minor ailment, but there may still be a wait. If you go in with a minor problem, for example an ankle sprained a week earlier, you may wait 4-6 hours, if not more. If you are really injured go to the emergency room (pronto soccorso) immediately, don't wait. If it is not a true emergency, there are other options.
private clinic
For things like a sprained ankle you can go to a private clinic (at your expense) for an x-ray and consultation to see if it is broken or just a sprain. SYNLAB Il Baluardo in the porto antico is a good option and provides a variety of services with little wait for appointments. Many doctors speak English, and that can be requested.
pharmacies
Pharmacies, indicated by a blinking green neon cross, in Italy are able to dispense greater health advice and more potent drugs than their US counterparts. Often for a sore throat or stomach ache a visit to the pharmacy is sufficient to receive adequate treatment.