Health & family
Health card & hospitals
Emergency numbers, joining the SSN and getting the tessera sanitaria, choosing a GP, pharmacies, and Milan's main hospitals.
Checked November 2026 · rules change, so confirm fees and deadlines on the linked official pages
Emergency numbers
112All emergencies (Lombardy single number)
116117Out-of-hours doctor, non-urgent
1500Ministry of Health info line
Pharmacies (green cross) give advice and many medicines; a rota pharmacy is always open at night. ER triage uses colour codes, so minor cases wait long.
Public health service (SSN) and the health card
- Employees and their dependent family with a permit for work or family reasons have compulsory, free SSN enrolment. You get the tessera sanitaria and a family doctor; children get a paediatrician.
- People who can't enrol compulsorily can use voluntary enrolment: since the 2024 budget law the minimum is €2,000 per year per calendar year (reduced for students and au pairs).
- Visits to specialists need a GP referral (impegnativa) and a small fee (ticket); book through the regional booking line or the Lombardy health app. Records live in the Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico.
Hospitals
PublicERPoliclinico di MilanoVia Francesco Sforza 35Central; includes the Mangiagalli maternity clinic.Maps ↗
PublicERFatebenefratelli · SaccoFatebenefratelli: Porta Nuova areaSacco is the infectious-disease reference centre.Maps ↗
PrivateEROspedale San RaffaeleVia Olgettina 60Gruppo San Donato. Has an international patients office.Maps ↗
PrivateERHumanitas Research HospitalRozzano (south of the city)Large private group, also Humanitas San Pio X (Via Nava 31) in the city.Maps ↗
PrivateEnglishMilan Medical CenterVia Angelo Mauri 3Clinic used to foreign patients; good for GP-type visits in English.Maps ↗
PrivateLow costCentro Medico SantagostinoMany branches across the cityAffordable private specialists and therapy; popular with expats.cmsantagostino.it ↗
Family doctor, pharmacies and booking
- Choose or change your medico di base (GP) and your children's pediatra online in the Fascicolo Sanitario or at an ASST office. Ask colleagues which GPs speak English.
- GP visits are free. The GP writes electronic prescriptions (ricetta elettronica) and specialist referrals (impegnativa); you pay a ticket fee for specialists and tests unless exempt.
- Book specialist visits through the regional booking line, the SALUTILE app or the pharmacy. Waits can be long; the referral's priority code (U, B, D, P) sets the maximum wait.
- Pharmacies (green cross) dispense, advise and measure blood pressure. There is always a night pharmacy on duty: see farmaciediturno.org.
- Out of hours and not an emergency: call 116117 (continuità assistenziale).
- Check live emergency-room waits in the SALUTILE Pronto Soccorso app before going (see Apps).