The International Department at Humanitas

Why it is on the list

Humanitas is a research and university hospital with more than 50 clinical specialties, its own research institute and its own medical school, Hunimed.¹ It was the first polyclinic in Italy accredited by Joint Commission International, in 2002, and one of 17 Italian hospitals out of more than 1,400 to hold that accreditation.² Its International Department has looked after more than 20,000 patients from over 150 countries.³

The department plans the treatment or check-up with the doctors, sends a cost estimate before arrival, helps with a medical visa, the hotel and transport, and provides interpreters in person, 24-hour phone translation, night nurses and medical reports in the patient's own language.³ It is the wrong call for a sudden illness in the middle of the night: the office answers on weekdays only, and the hospital is in Rozzano, 8 km south of the city, 24 km from Linate.³⁴

How to get it

Write to patients@humanitas.it or call +39 02 8224 6579, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Italian time, and send the details of the case; the department returns a plan and a cost estimate before the trip.³ Humanitas has direct agreements with many international insurers, so ask whether yours is one of them.³ Once inside the hospital, the department is on extension 6579.³ By car or taxi, allow extra time in the early morning and late afternoon while rail works near Locate Triulzi slow local traffic.⁴

Discretion

One department handles the case from the first request to follow-up appointments after the patient has gone home, and books further appointments during the stay itself.³ Interpreting is face to face or by phone at any hour, and reports are written in the patient's own language.³