Hospital waiting time in Tuscany
The Italian NHS is consistently ranked among the best in the world
Anyone who needs medical treatment while abroad, for leisure or business, has to deal with unfamiliar local healthcare systems. In addition, language barriers and often unforeseeable waiting times can increase the distress already perceived by patients. If you want to find out about hospital waiting time in Tuscany, this is the right place!
In the following paragraphs, we will talk about the Italian National Health Service. We will then suggest what foreign travellers can do when they need a doctor in Tuscany.
Italian healthcare costs
The Italian National Health Service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale - SSN) is usualy ranked amongst the best in the world. Italy offers universal healthcare coverage to citizens and residents, often free-of-charge or for a small ticket of 25-50€.
In case of an emergency, any individual can call an ambulance by dialling 118. Emergency medical care is a right in Italy, so patients don't need to pay for such service.
For European travellers, holding a "EHIC” (European Health Insurance Card) acts as proof of entitlement to medical care. We recommend to apply for one before travelling, as it can reduce or cancel most treatment and medication costs. On the website of the Italian Ministry of Health you can find more information on cross-border medical treatment.
Extra-European patients must pay for the whole cost of treatment, which usually goes beyond the 50€ ticket price cap. It's common practice for Extra-EU travellers to purchase a private health insurance plan, prior to visiting Italy and Tuscany.
The fragmentation of the Italian NHS may cause varying levels of service across locations
Local healthcare providers
The National Health Service is divided in regional subsidiaries, called ASL (Azienda Sanitaria Locale). ASL's are responsible for managing the public medical service offered in hospitals and other public clinics.
As a result, healthcare service levels may vary depending on the region such services are provided in. Although the level of Italian hospitals is generally satisfactory, some foreign travellers may find some clinics below their expectations.
Tuscany in particular is divided in USL (Local Health Units) which manage the 3 macro areas of Tuscany: South East, Center, and North West. In Tuscany, the Azienda USL Toscana Sud Est covers the provinces of Siena, Arezzo, and Grosseto. Similarly, the 'Azienda USL Toscana Centro' covers Florence, Prato, Pistoia, and Empoli, while the Azienda USL Toscana Nord Ovest covers the territories of Pisa, Livorno, Lucca, and Massa-Carrara.
What is the waiting time in public hospitals?
Waiting times in public hospitals, like anywhere else, may vary depending on the day and time, and on the urgency of treatment. Italian Emergency Rooms (Pronto Soccorso) operate a colour-based code which affects the maximum waiting time expected. This can range from immediately, for a code red, to up to 4 hours, for a code white.
Travellers in Tuscany have little opportunities to visit a doctor with reasonable waiting times
In hospitals in Tuscany, 72% of patients usually receive no communication about the expected waiting time before they can see a doctor. The hospital waiting time in Tuscany for 50% of patients was at least 30 minutes, while 30% of patients waited more than an hours (Data: Laboratorio Management e Sanità, 2011).
This, added to the time to travel to and from the hospital, and the triage acceptance time, make a hospital visit a very lengthy and time-consuming process. We recommend that patients only go to local hospital if their medical conditions strictly require it.
Lastly, staff in local public hospitals mainly speak Italian, so a foreign traveller may find even greater discomfort arising from language barriers.
What if I need a doctor in Tuscany?
If you are a foreign traveller in need of a doctor while visiting Tuscany, there's a few things you can do:<
Check on your embassy's website if they list any contacts of doctor of clinic which is recognised for speaking your language.
Contact your health insurance provider, in case they have contacts of doctors in the area.
Make a quick Google search for English-speaking doctors in Tuscany
Many doctors, especially those who speak foreign languages, advertise their services directly online. Some doctors may even be able to visit you with short notice.
The best solution for many travellers in Tuscany has been to request a doctor with Medyca.
This is a medical service specifically targeted to foreign travellers in Tuscany. On Medyca.it, you can request a doctor who will come visit you at home, on the same day. All doctors speak English, and there is also availability for German, French, Spanish and of course Italian, with professional translators available in Russian and Chinese. Recently, they have also opened a clinic in the Siena city centre, if you prefer to walk-in rather than wait comfortably in your room for a house-call visit.
Since starting in 2019, Medyca's average response time has been around 3 hours. This means that on average, our patients had a doctor knocking on their door only 2.5 hours after the online request. After the appointment, Medyca provides the documentation so you can claim the expenses to your health insurance provider. This ensures a seamless reimbursement process, so you can stop worrying about the cost.
The house-call service is active in the whole of Tuscany, including the provinces of Siena, Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Arezzo, Grosseto. This covers famous destinations such as Montalcino, Asciano, San Gimignano, Pienza, Monteriggioni, and Montepulciano.
