Outpatient activities and services

• Outpatient
  • Outpatient services
  • Appointments, outpatient and diagnostic services
  • Priority numbering system
  • Prescription charges
  • Freelance professional activities
  • Collecting test results
  • Important
• Services

Outpatient activities

Outpatient services

There is a central booking service (Centro Unico di Prenotazione, CUP) where all appointments can be made.
Access to the outpatient services is via a “clinical priority” system as assessed and indicated by the physician preparing the prescription (D.G.R.V. 600/07).
The classes identifi ed are as follows:

• Class A: access within 10 days the service should be provided promptly because it infl uences the patient’s prognosis or strongly infl uences the patient’s pain, dysfunction or disability;
• Class B: access within 30 days for medical examinations, within 60 days for instrumental tests the timeliness of the service does not signifi cantly infl uence the patient’s short-term prognosis, but is warranted by the patient’s pain, dysfunction or disability;
• Class C: access within 180 days the service can be scheduled in the longer term because it does not infl uence the patient’s prognosis, pain, dysfunction or disability.

On admission, the patients’ computer-based clinical fi les are created or integrated, reporting their clinical history, any tests performed at the CdC and the related results, including any done while the patient was hospitalized.
The test reports are delivered on completing the test or according to methods specifi ed by the service provider concerned.

The CdC services cover medical examinations and diagnostic and therapeutic outpatient services in the various medical specialties. In addition to the services provided on behalf of the national health system, the CdC also provides medical examinations and other services privately to paying patients.

Appointments, outpatient and diagnostic services

Appointments can be booked personally at the main reception desk (at the entrance to the clinic), where appointments with freelance medical specialists can also be made.

Appointments can also be made/cancelled by phoning the central booking service (CUP) from Monday to Friday 8 - 19, or Saturdays 8 - 12 at the following numbers:

• for making bookings Telephone 045 644 92 70 (to make a booking you must already have your general practitioner’s prescription);
• or cancelling bookings Telephone 045 644 92 30

Priority numbering system

Before going to the front offi ce staff, you need to collect a numbered ticket (corresponding to the type of service you require) from the distributor provided.

Prescription charges

The prescription charge is a form of contribution to the costs of the public health service. The criteria adopted for prescription charges are established by national and regional legislation. The law also establishes that certain categories of citizens are exempt from the payment of prescription charges due to age, chronic disease or income.
Exemptions from prescription charges for chronic diseases are only applicable where specified on the prescription by the physician.

Prescription charges can be paid at the time of admission as follows:

• Monday to Friday 7.30 - 19 and Saturdays 7.30 - 13.30 at the main reception desk before receiving the service;
• On Saturdays and Sundays, depending on the information available from the front offi ce, partly at the main reception desk and partly at the reception desk located on the lower ground fl oor, alongside the Diagnostics unit;
• for medical examinations at outside outpatient polyclinics, at the reception desk located at the clinic concerned.

Freelance professional activities

Payment for medical examinations by freelance professionals can be made at the main reception desk.

Collecting test results

The results of instrumental tests can be collected from the appropriate front offi ce desk in the main reception area; there is no need to obtain a numbered ticket beforehand. Test results can be collected Monday to Friday 13.30 -18.00:

• by the person concerned, who must present their test result receipt form at the time of collecting their test results;
• by a person they delegate to do so, who must present with the receipt form duly completed and signed in the section relating to their authorization, along with a photostat copy of their ID card.

Patients can also ask for their test results to be delivered to their homes, subject to the payment of a contribution to cover the costs of delivery.

Important

Users who:

• fail to collect their test results within 30 days; or
• fail to cancel appointments that they are unable to at tend (for medical examinations or instrumental/ laboratory tests) at least one day prior to the appointment;

will be obliged to pay in full for the service concerned, even if they are normally exempted from prescription charges. If they have already paid a prescription charge, they will be charged for the difference. They will be notifi ed by registered letter and return receipt.

Services