Ambulances (tel. 118) will take you to the nearest public hospital emergency room and should be called immediately in all absolute emergencies, especially severe chest pain that could be a heart attack. In less dire cases try first to call us—there may be one best hospital for your case (S. Eugenio for severe burns, for example, and the Spallanzani for severe influenza).
If you can't reach us in an emergency but are able to take a car or taxi, the Policlinico Gemelli on Monte Mario, the Policlinico Umberto I beyond the train station, the San Camillo behind Monteverde (a center of excellence for heart disease), and the Bambino Gesù children's hospital on the Gianicolo hill are public hospitals equipped to handle all true emergencies.
Centers of excellence for heart disease in 3 corners of Rome:
Poison center hotlines: Policlinico Gemelli: 06 3054343; Policlinico Umberto 1: 06 49978000
Although the Rome American Hospital has an intensive care unit and can treat many acute problems, neither the RAH nor any other private
hospital has a real emergency room
Pharmacies: Most pharmacies follow usual Italian shopping hours, but many, including the Farmacia Santa Sabina on Viale Aventino, are open 8:30 AM to 7: 30 or 8 PM without a break, and several (one is on Via Arenula) stay open all night. The pharmacist will normally give you back the prescription after filling it, so we write your instructions in whatever language you prefer. Watch out when asking pharmacists for medical advice; they tend to be a bit free with medicines.
Special prescriptions: Almost all American and European medications are available here, though the brand name may be different. Not all pharmacies are fully stocked, so if you don't find something at one, try another. Be skeptical if a pharmacist says a medication is unavailable or "not made any more"; they may just be out of it. You can also ask them to look it up in the Informatore Farmaceutico, or try the Vatican Pharmacy (tel. 06 6989-0561).
Testing: Italian laboratories and outside consultants will by and large
expect immediate cash payment; go prepared. Results are usually picked up by the patient rather than being sent to your physician. A few of the testing facilities we use frequently:
Santo Volto Clinic, Piazza Tempio di Diana 12, tel. 06 5729921: you can arrange to have them send test results and x-rays directly to us
Salvator Mundi International Hospital, Via delle Mura Gianicolensi, tel. 06 588-961; open and functioning all day (not just mornings); will fax results to us on your request; will come draw blood at your home if you're too ill to move
Quarta Laboratory (affiliated with the Villa Margherita Clinica), Via G.B. De Rossi 22, tel. 06 4434241; will also come to your home.
Centro Diagnostico, Via Pigafetta 1, tel. 06 571-071
Villa Margherita Clinica, Via di Villa Massimo, 48, tel. 06 4423-3146:
particularly excellent imaging department (x-rays, sonography, CAT scans, MRIs...)
Health in Rome: Yes, you can drink the tap water, it's mostly from deep springs. Infectious diseases, such as German measles, whooping cough (check your children's vaccinations), and hepatitis (watch out for raw shellfish) are more common here than at home. The Tiber is badly polluted, and the beaches nearest Rome are barely less so. Expect to get more colds than usual soon after arrival; you have to build up immunity to the local viruses. Likewise you may suffer from diarrhea while your intestine gets used to Italian varieties of bacteria and to all that olive oil. Birth control and abortions are legal here. Finally, Rome is the allergy capital of the world.
Mind and Soul in English:
Suicide hotline: the Samaritans, tel 800 860022
Alcoholics Anonymous: St. Paul's Church, Via Napoli 56, tel 06 4742913
Narcotics Anonymous, tel 06 860-4788
Overeaters Anonymous, tel 06 4743772 (for information in Italian) or go directly to Saint Paul's Church, Via Napoli 56 for information about English language groups. Meetings usually Wednesdays at 6.45 pm.
Yoga instruction, massage, Alexander technique, relaxation therapy...Don't hesitate to ask.
