GENERAL PRACTITIONERS (GPs)

WHO ARE THEY?

Family doctors are general practitioners (GPs) and are also known as primary care practitioners.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

• Medical examinations in their Outpatient clinic or house call;
• Medical prescriptions, requests for specialty medical examinations and exams;
• Proposals of hospitalization;
• Proposals of home care instead of hospitalization;
• Issuance of medical certificates according to the National agreements (some of them must be paid and the table is displayed in the outpatient clinic).

WHEN DO THEY WORK?

GPs work approximately from Monday to Friday in the morning and in the afternoon.

The timetable can change according to the doctor. Working hours depend on the number of patients the GP has. The family doctor can receive patients in his clinic with or without a reservation, i.e. with direct access. At night, on Saturdays, Sundays and during the holidays, if you urgently need to speak with a GP, you can call the Medical Guard.

DO THEY MAKE HOUSE CALLS?

House calls are carried out when patients cannot go their doctor’s office, arranging the time and day of the visit.

WHAT ARE GP’S OBLIGATIONS?

General practitioners shall expose at the entrance of the clinic:

• Their name;
• Their telephone number;
• Their office hours.

When GPs go on vacation and are replaced by another doctor, they inform their patients about the duration, about the replace mode and about their substitute.

HOW CAN I CHOOSE MY GP?

You should contact the Anagrafe Sanitaria (Health Service Office) of the city where you live. You need:

• your Tessera Sanitaria (Health Insurance Card) where your Codice Fiscale (your Social Security Number) is indicated;
• a valid identity document: it may be an identity card or a driving licence.

The official of the Health Service Office will show you a list of names of General practitioners. You can choose one of these names.

Generally, a GP cannot have more than 1500 registered patients.

Patients contact the GP when they need to.

CAN I CHANGE MY FAMILY DOCTOR?

Of course. You do not need to give any explanations. Just contact the Health Service Office and repeat the procedure.

ATTENTION

The Local Health Authorities (ASL) are divided in Districts and each District has its own Office of Health Service. You should go to the nearest one.

– Azienda Sanitaria Friuli Centrale (Udine, Gemona, Palmanova…)
– Azienda Sanitaria Giuliano Isontina (Trieste, Gorizia, Monfalcone…)
– Azienda Sanitaria Friuli Occidentale (Pordenone, Spilimbergo…)

S.S. (edits)