Hospitals in Rome: Emergency Care Guide for Expats (2026)

Knowing which of the hospitals in Rome to head for, and what number to dial before you get there, is worth sorting long before you actually need it. Whether you just landed or have been in the capital for years, this honest guide covers the public and private options, the 112 emergency number, how the SSN pays for it, and where to find a pharmacy at 2am. Save this page, because a calm five minutes now beats a panicked scramble later.

In a real emergency, dial 112 first

If someone is unconscious, having chest pain, bleeding heavily or in any life-threatening situation, do not drive around looking for one of the hospitals in Rome yourself. Call 112, Italy’s single European emergency number (Numero Unico Emergenze, NUE), now fully active across Rome and routing every call, ambulance, police or fire, through one operations centre. It works 24/7 from any phone, even with no SIM or credit. The older number 118, dedicated to ambulances, still works too and now feeds into the same system.

1. State your address clearly and simply, since operators may not always speak fluent English.
2. The 112 centre locates your call and sends a public Ares 118 ambulance to the nearest capable Accident and Emergency (Pronto Soccorso).
3. If you have private insurance and prefer a private hospital, say so, but in a genuine emergency the priority is the nearest capable department, not the fanciest one.

Policlinico Umberto I and San Camillo-Forlanini: Rome’s main public A&Es

Two university hospitals carry most of the acute emergency load among the hospitals in Rome. Policlinico Umberto I, near Termini station, is one of Europe’s largest hospital complexes with a major Pronto Soccorso. San Camillo-Forlanini, on the Gianicolense side, is similarly large and a main trauma and stroke referral point. Both are public, run 24-hour emergency departments, and take patients regardless of nationality or insurance.

Expect a wait once you arrive, since Italy’s emergency departments triage by severity, not by order of arrival. Lazio publishes real-time data on emergency room access and wait times for every Pronto Soccorso in the region; search “accessi pronto soccorso” on the official regione.lazio.it site or check the SaluteLazio app for the current page, since the direct link moves around.

Private hospitals in Rome

Many expats keep private cover for shorter waits and English-speaking staff. UPMC Salvator Mundi International Hospital runs a paid Primo Soccorso (urgent care) service for private and insured patients from 7:30 to 19:00; it is not a 24-hour service, so a genuine overnight emergency still means the nearest public A&E. Ospedale Cristo Re, near Battistini, runs a public Pronto Soccorso within the SSN network, part of the Spoke-HUB system with Policlinico Gemelli, so red, orange, blue and green triage codes are treated free and only a white (non-urgent) code carries a fee.

These are not the only private clinics among the hospitals in Rome, but they are established, verifiable options. For any other facility, check the provider’s own website for current hours and numbers rather than a directory listing, which can go stale.

SSN: how emergency care is paid for

Italy’s SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale) is what makes the hospitals in Rome affordable once you are registered. Legally resident EU citizens, or non-EU residents with a valid permesso di soggiorno, register at their local ASL (ASL Roma 1 through 6, by address) with a codice fiscale, ID and proof of residence, and pick a medico di base for everyday care.

Emergency treatment follows a separate rule. A genuine emergency, triaged red, orange, blue or green, is treated free at a public Pronto Soccorso regardless of your SSN status. Only patients discharged with a white code, meaning the case was not urgent, are billed a fixed ticket, 25 euros in Lazio as of 2026, with exemptions for children under 14, people over 65 and other documented categories. Confirm your own exemption status with your ASL rather than assuming.

Pharmacies and on-duty (night) pharmacies

Ordinary pharmacies in Rome close on Sundays and holidays, but a rotating farmacia di turno (on-duty pharmacy) system means one is always open nearby, day or night. Find tonight’s on-duty pharmacy through the official Federfarma Roma search at federfarmaroma.com, searchable by municipio, postcode or city, or read the notice posted on any closed pharmacy’s door naming the current on-call pharmacy.

For anything needed after even the night pharmacies close, one of the hospitals in Rome with a 24-hour Pronto Soccorso is your fallback. Bring ID and, if you have one, your tessera sanitaria, and remember many common medicines in Italy need a prescription.

Being reachable in an emergency

None of this helps if your phone has no signal the moment you land. A local SIM or travel eSIM activated on arrival means you can dial 112 and reach the hospitals in Rome from day one. Services like Airalo and Saily sell Italy eSIM plans you set up before you fly, though data-only eSIMs may not carry a phone number, so keep a voice-capable local SIM too. A policy from Ekta covers the gap before your SSN registration clears, and a multi-currency account from Wise or Revolut keeps a hospital bill from costing you a poor exchange rate. Save 112 in your phone now.

Frequently Asked Questions

What number do I call for an ambulance in Rome?

Dial 112, Italy’s single emergency number, from any phone for an ambulance, police or fire anywhere in Rome. It is free, works 24/7 even without a SIM or credit, and dispatches an Ares 118 ambulance to your location. The older 118 number still works and routes into the same system.

Which are the best hospitals in Rome for expats?

For emergencies, Policlinico Umberto I and San Camillo-Forlanini run the city’s main public A&Es, taking anyone regardless of insurance. For private care with shorter waits, UPMC Salvator Mundi runs a paid daytime urgent care service, while Ospedale Cristo Re runs a public Pronto Soccorso within the SSN. Which of the hospitals in Rome suits you depends on the time of day and whether you are insured.

Do I need insurance to use the hospitals in Rome?

No, not for a genuine emergency. Public A&Es treat red, orange, blue and green codes free regardless of insurance, billing only non-urgent white-code cases. For routine or private care, health or travel insurance keeps the bills predictable while your SSN registration is processed.

How do I find a pharmacy open at night in Rome?

Rome runs a rotating on-duty pharmacy (farmacia di turno) system. Search the official Federfarma Roma site by district, postcode or city, or check the notice on any closed pharmacy’s door naming the current on-call pharmacy. If nothing nearby is open, the nearest hospital A&E among the hospitals in Rome is your fallback.

Is emergency care free in Rome?

Genuine emergencies are free at public hospitals in Rome, whatever your nationality or SSN status, since triage codes above white carry no charge. Only a white-code discharge, meaning the visit was not urgent, brings a fixed 25 euro ticket in Lazio, with exemptions for children, older residents and other documented cases.

Expat Essentials for Rome

A few quick wins make settling into Rome easier while you work through this guide. An Airalo eSIM keeps you online from the moment you land, a pre-booked Welcome Pickups transfer takes the stress out of arrival day, and NordVPN protects your logins on public wifi. See our full list of trusted services below.

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Written by FinePassport team