The general practitioner — “medico di base” or family doctor — is your first point of contact for health. It is free for anyone registered with the National Health Service, but many foreigners don’t know how to choose or change one.
How to choose
- Online on your Region’s portal with SPID or CIE, or at the ASL “choice and revocation” desk (in some Regions also at a pharmacy, for a fee).
- You need an ID and your health card.
- You can only choose among doctors in your ASL who have free places.
- You can change doctor at any time, without giving reasons.
Children have a paediatrician; from age 6 they can move to a family doctor, and from 14 it is compulsory.
What they do
- Surgery visits, free of charge.
- Prescriptions for medicines, tests and specialist visits (they are not obliged to prescribe whatever the patient asks).
- Online sick-leave certificates for your employer and INPS.
- Home visits for people who cannot travel: if you call before 10 am, the visit is the same day.
New rule on certificates
Since 4 September 2026, INPS can also recognise the day before the visit as a sick day if the doctor notes it: this applies to one day only and not to Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays.
Nights and holidays
When the surgery is closed you can call the out-of-hours doctor (guardia medica) on 116117, available in many Regions. For emergencies, always 112.
