Io scelgo la salute

WHO WE ARE

Drop-In Centre

The "Io scelgo la salute" (“I choose health”) drop-in centre is an office open to the public located in Turin in via Garibaldi, 2. It is open every day from 10am to 4pm, except Saturdays and Bank Holidays.
Sponsored by the Piedmont Region, it is a place for advice and assistance which, with reference to the Piedmont area, provides information on:

• hospitals, health and social care facilities, voluntary associations operating in the field of health and welfare;
• ways of making appointments and bookings for health services;
• waiting lists and times;
• protecting the rights of patients.

Freephone Number

The “I choose health” drop-in centre can also be contacted by telephone, using Freephone number 800.549955, open from Monday to Friday, except pre-Bank Holidays and Bank Holidays, from 10am to 4pm.
This communication channel offers the citizen/user direct contact with the association’s volunteers or with qualified operators so as to obtain the advice, support and assistance they require in order to understand the health sector, health protection and social care and welfare.

Website

“I choose health” is also a website which allows you to:

• make a reasoned and informed choice which hospital to be treated at or to undergo an operation;
• find out the average waiting times for health services and specialist appointments;
• express an opinion on health facilities;
• send questions on illnesses and disorders to the team of experts;
• see a list of health facility directors;
• investigate minor health problems that can be addressed independently (sore throats, coughs, …), dangerous lifestyles (smoking, no physical activity, …), information for preventing various illnesses;
• consult a dictionary of medical terms;
• obtain information about voluntary associations;
• read news from the medical and health field;
• pay online for prescription charges by credit card;
• make appointments by telephone for health services; cancel and change appointments.

SERVICES FOR CITIZENS

Prescription Payment

The service allows you to pay for your prescription charges via the Internet by credit card and to print a payment receipt, which is valid for tax deduction. In order to proceed, you will need your tax code and prescription identification number.
Access the service

Book an Appointment

The service allows you to book outpatient services provided by the Turin and Province public health agencies and to cancel and alter appointments. In order to proceed, you will need to register at the SistemaPiemonte or TorinoFacile portal (for which you will need an ID document). You can still find out about available services and the facilities that provide them, without registering.
Access the service

Where to Get Treatment

Search for illness

For some illnesses and conditions (tumours, abdominal aortic aneurisms, hip replacements, birth), you can find out how many cases are handled by the various health facilities in Piedmont (public and private). A high number of treated cases suggests improved efficiency in the services offered.

Search for hospital

You can find out about hospitals and nursing homes in Piedmont from a list of their names. For each hospital/nursing home, you can:

• read a short presentation;
• find out where it is located;
• read the opinions of users who have already accessed its services (with a chance to add your own opinion).

Search on the map

You can see on a map of the Piedmont territory the location of the hospitals and/or nursing homes, and then find out specific information (address, features and activities, users’ ratings).

Waiting Times

The service provides information on the average waiting times for users wishing to take advantage of the health services and specialist appointment in the various facilities which provide them.

Rate the Structure

The service allows you to express an opinion on the health facilities and in particular on some aspects which characterise them; general environment, support provided, information and services received, available parking. You can also see the average rating already made by other users.

Ask the Expert

You can send to the panel of experts questions on illnesses, disorders and health issues and receive replies, or view the replies given to the most frequent questions sent by other users.

List of Doctors

The service allows you to view a list of directors of health facilities, by searching for doctors by name, discipline or respective facility.

Medical Dictionary

An online dictionary of medical terms is provided which explains the meaning of words used in drugs packaging and other medical expressions that are not easily understood.

Voluntary Associations

You can find out about voluntary associations in Piedmont which operate in the health and welfare field, identifying their addresses, contact information and a list of services offered.

Live Healthily

Self-medication guide

The guide explores some common health problems that can be addressed independently by patients (such as heartburn, fever, toothache, cough, etc.), by providing a description and identifying symptoms, causes, preventative action, remedies and possible consequences.

Lifestyles

This section describes some of the behaviours that might represent risk factors to health, such as smoking, excessive alcohol and drug consumption, poor diet and lack of physical activity.

Prevention is better

This section provides scientific information for preventing various illnesses and health issues, thanks to the contribution of health specialists.

Media Area

This section includes news relating to innovations in the medical field, good care and health protection practices, regulatory and organisational updates in the health sector.