Lorna at Vicenza

No trouble .... it was only a bit of google Italy search time.

It is generally much harder to find Italian info on websites than other ones though as they are often late comers to Internet and most times trying to find the right info is like trying to get blood from a stone.

Sometimes, like today you'll find an Italian website that is informative and updated. Hope it helps.

sellymack

Thanks Lorna, just booked a pap test for 11th March... can't believe how quickly they fitted me in! They also told me that for mammograms they start calling you up after 45 yrs old, so couldn't help me there, but the smear test should be done every three years so that has put my mind at rest (or will do when I get the results). Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction, although I should have been able to find that website on my own really, sometimes things get so confusing that I literally can't see the wood for the trees... oh well thanks heavens for this forum.

Lorna at Vicenza

That's great news. Did you use that free-phone number ?

sellymack

Yes, 800 number, so there is something free in Italy!! The man on the other end was really helpful and patient too, which made such a refreshing change.

Lorna at Vicenza

Brilliant !

37100

Glad to see your getting there. It always seem to be the easier things that confound us. Give us some good old Italian paper work and we just take a deep breath, pull ourselves up and plough on in.
Even though you you are not in the mammogram program you should still be able to book yourself one at the local hospital for just the cost of the ticket. Ours is 36euros, your's should be the same or less. For a gyno visit you are better off with the consultorio familiare at your local ulss because they usually just do check-ups and refer you to the hospital for anything further. Without a referral you are classed as non-urgent so you wait longer for a hospital check-up. At least, that's how it works here.

sellymack

Yes, the friendly man gave me another 800 number (beginning to get the hang of this) to ring for an appointment, but I first need a referral from my family doctor before I ring, so that's the next thing to do. Thanks for all your suggestions.

indiebird

i am a bit confused here. I have signed us up with the local ASL for healthcare and the kids were called up for their hep. B vacination without this. I have been to my GP once, sat there for 3hrs until it was my turn and then got a little note to take to the hospital to book an appointment to have my ears syringed. They didn't much like my European Health Card but I managed to convince them that it was the same as the ones they carry only English. Is this right?? I have a mirena coil fitted and it needs changing and I also need a smear. Do I need to go back to my Medico do Basso to be referred to the Gynae?? I hate phoning people because my Italian isn't so good. I prefer to turn up and try and sort things in person. We do also have private health insurance but I find this as much help as a choc teapot!! i.e I once asked for a list of English speaking doctors and got no english speaking ones and in the end i got 3 italian ones right in the centre of turin. Really useful eh??!! My dd who is 5 has just got an italian health card through the post but none of the rest of us. Is this because they are in the system and she is coming up to 6?

Lorna at Vicenza

1. If you are indeed signed up at ASL why didn't they give you an Italian tessera sanitaria ?

2. GPs here do not do much but check-ups and hand out prescriptions. For any other kind of treatment or specialist checkup they will give you an "impegnativa" which you have to take to the booking office at the local hospital or U.L.S.S centre if you have one. The hospitals here also have a phone number for bookings only so see if yours has one.

3. Italy has a free smear programme in place. Read back through this thread and see if you can find the link with the free phone numbers for smear tests in your comune.

4. Mirena ...... you'll need to book an appointment with a gyneacologist. You can either go to your GP - ask for the impegnativa - take it to the hospital and get a time and a date. When you turn up you will not know which gyno is on duty that day but he'll probably fill out a patient record for you which they keep should you ever need them again.

Alternatively check your phone book to see if you have a Consultorio Familiare. This is like a family planning clinic. Sometimes they are in their own building. Sometimes they are part of the local ULSS building. They will probably also fill out a patient record chart and keep it on file for future visits.

5. Children's obbligatory vaccines are all free in Italy with or without a health card. Hep B is part of the obbligatory list. They don't want any kids coming in with potential viruses etc. so they all get immunised.

6. I don't think age has got anything to do with health cards. If the others do not come through the post soon then go and ask them why the kid has one and yours haven't arrived.

7. Most GPs work on an awful first come first served basis. You sit there listening to everybody else cough and sneeze wondering how many illnesses you might end up going home with when you only went in with a sore throat. Old people always seem to get there very early to get a place so even if you go early too, they will always be there before you.
I think many Italians are also raving hypochondriacs and I try to avoid the doctors if I can just because I can't stand the waiting room.
My doctor has 10 minutes at the beginning of each session just for people that need prescriptions so that they don't have to wait hours.

Only the kids' pediatra works by appointment. None of the adults' doctors in my area have appointment systems but most of them see to be quite good about home visits if you ring.

indiebird

I have no idea why we do not have Tessera Sanitaria cards. I need to go back within a year as the ASL do not recognise our new permessa di soggiorno (sp.) that took a month for the Anagraffe to decide that they could issue in the 1st place!! so I reckon this could be the reason. I am hoping that by the time I do go back then my italian will be better and also that they may have caught up with their own rules!! My dd does have one but me and dh and my son do not. We have little card ones that just have the address of the gp and their surgery times on but it took this and my emergency healthcare card from the UK and my codice fiscale to finally book an appointment with the ENT person at the local hospital!!

I am going to have a look for a consoltorio familiare there must be one around here somewhere!! How are they on the whole birth control thing?? i'm not sure what I want to do really, I just do not want any more kids!!

I hate going to the docs anyway. We only go if there is no other choice. I have a good homeopath in the UK and I use this but if i know what sometihng is then I go the chemist and ask for something. I even got antibiotic eyedrops for one of the kids over the counter. I even once, when we first moved and I was still on anti-depressants, got a months supply of my pills over the counter as we hadn't signed on with the ASL. This was done quite openly and it was a busy pharmacy... could you even imagine that in the UK??

I hate the 1st come 1st served GP system. You are right Lorna, it is all old people. Even if you arrive 10 minutes earlier than surgery they are there waiting and they seem to take an age!! We have never seen the paediatrician so I cannot comment but most people seem to take their kids on a very regualr basis and there have been comments made about how robust my kids are due to their lack of time off school, oh and allowing them to play out in the garden when it is cold!! We are used to it now.....

LivingHere

I always go to the doctor towards then end of the surgery times. There is never a queue and they don't seem to mind that I don't have an appointment. My paed gives out appointment times and then still has the first come first served system, so again I always go late.

IndieBird - when you signed up with ASL didn't they give you a card on the spot. The plastic one comes later but I was given a card made of card there and then when I signed up. (sorry, just reread your post and you do!)

indiebird

yes they did but we have had these since november and dd only has a plastic card so far....

37100

Oh dear! Indiebird has mention those words again. Deep breath Lorna, deep breath.

indiebird

oh no!!! which words were they?? Have I unintentionally managed to break an unwritten forum rule on my 1st day??!! that must be a record!!!!!!!

37100

(Quietly) PdS. Drives Lorna mad or maybe madder.