How do eligible residents and employees access planned Health services in Vatican City?

They usually arrange care through the DSI Poliambulatorio or Sportello Unico and present the required FAS evidence. DSI services are used first when the needed treatment is available internally; FAS-contracted providers are used when DSI cannot provide it.

What should someone do during a Health emergency in Vatican City?

Call 112 for an acute emergency. DSI emergency staff or first-aid teams assess the case, provide treatment on site when sufficient, or arrange ambulance transfer to an Italian hospital emergency department when inpatient care is needed.

Can visitors and pilgrims receive Health assistance in Vatican City?

Visitors, pilgrims and tourists can receive first aid on Vatican City territory, including assistance at St Peter's Square. This access does not give them the general FAS benefits available to eligible members.

Where does inpatient treatment continue when Health services in Vatican City cannot provide it?

Vatican City has no documented general hospital operation. When hospital or advanced treatment is required, the DSI pathway normally transfers the patient by ambulance or other appropriate means to an Italian health facility.

Health in Vatican City

Q: How can patients obtain medicines through Health services in Vatican City?

Farmacia Vaticana requires an identity document and the original paper prescription; digital prescriptions are not accepted and an Italian Tessera Sanitaria is not required. FAS formulary medicines prescribed through DSI or contracted services can be supplied directly under the applicable rules.

Health services in Vatican City are organized mainly through the Directorate of Health and Hygiene, called Direzione di Sanità e Igiene (DSI), the Health Assistance Fund, called Fondo Assistenza Sanitaria (FAS), and Farmacia Vaticana. DSI provides outpatient medical care, specialist consultations, diagnostics, laboratory services, nursing and prevention services. Acute cases receive emergency assistance in Vatican City, while hospital treatment may continue in Italian health facilities.

Tip

Use DSI as your first contact for planned care when you are eligible, and clarify your FAS status before arranging external treatment. In an acute emergency, call 112 immediately; for non-urgent care, prior approval, the correct provider and complete documents determine whether treatment is covered or reimbursed.

byMaria&Marco

Access depends on your status and the type of care you need. DSI and FAS services primarily cover cardinals, patriarchs, bishops, Vatican City citizens and residents, employees of the State or the Holy See, FAS members and, under defined conditions, their family members. Visitors, pilgrims and tourists can receive first aid on Vatican City territory, but visitor access to first aid does not create a general FAS entitlement. For planned care, contact the DSI Poliambulatorio or Sportello Unico for an appointment, change or cancellation. The offices are at Palazzo Belvedere on the first and second floors and normally open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 17:30 and Saturday from 8:30 to 13:00. In July and August, the usual hours are Monday to Friday from 7:15 to 14:00. The DSI telephone number is 06 698 79300, and digital contact is available through sportello@fas.va. Some external specialist services require an impegnativa, meaning a medical referral, and prior DSI approval. The DSI Poliambulatorio covers areas such as internal medicine, cardiology, surgery, dermatology, diabetes care, endocrinology, gastroenterology, geriatrics, gynecology, neurology, ophthalmology, dentistry, orthopedics, ear-nose-and-throat medicine, pediatrics, pulmonology, psychiatry, rheumatology, urology, physical medicine and physiotherapy. It also provides laboratory testing, ultrasound and radiology, travel medicine and other preventive and occupational health services. DSI responsibilities include workplace medicine, legal medicine, hygiene, infection prevention, food control, veterinary health and pharmaceutical monitoring. For an acute emergency, call 112. The DSI medical guard and emergency service normally operate around the clock. The DSI team or first-aid staff may complete treatment on site; when hospital care is needed, the pathway normally continues by ambulance to an emergency department in the Italian health system. First aid at St Peter's Square is also provided by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta throughout the year. Temporary additional stations, such as those created for the 2025 Jubilee, do not establish a permanent service. FAS members normally use DSI services first when the required treatment is available there. If DSI cannot provide it, FAS-contracted providers may be used. Home visits by general practitioners or pediatricians can be arranged through contracted external providers. Non-contracted providers and pharmacies may be reimbursed indirectly only within applicable limits and, where required, after prior approval. A non-contracted specialist prescription on a white prescription form must receive DSI approval in advance. If a service available through DSI is chosen externally, the resulting tariff difference is paid by the patient. FAS admission is handled through an application and status process. Employees and pensioners and their families may be admitted under the applicable rules; residents without another entitlement may be admitted by decision of the FAS administrative board, while other cases require justification and involvement of the Secretariat of State. Employee registration is normally arranged by the administration within 30 days of employment, and benefit rights begin after registration. Changes in status or income must be reported within 30 days. Employees generally contribute 2% of salary and pensioners 2% of their pension, alongside an additional per-capita contribution by the administration. Farmacia Vaticana dispenses medicines with an identity document and the original paper prescription. Digital prescriptions are not accepted, and an Italian Tessera Sanitaria is not required. Winter opening hours are normally Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 18:00 and Saturday from 8:30 to 13:00; it is closed on Sundays. From 13 July to 29 August 2026, the stated summer hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 15:00. DSI or contracted prescriptions covered by the FAS formulary are supplied directly without charge. Indirect reimbursement is generally 70% for formulary medicines and 100% for FAS-approved medicines that cannot be obtained from Farmacia Vaticana. FAS covers medical, surgical and obstetric care connected with pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. Pregnancy and the intended place of birth should be reported to FAS. For chronic or terminal conditions, the available pathway may involve contracted long-term care or a contribution toward nursing or home care. Laboratory results are available online no later than 30 days after collection. Reimbursement applications require original invoices or receipts and, for hospital admissions, the medical record; the application deadline is six months after the last service. An administrative appeal against a decision on FAS benefits, contributions or admission must normally be filed within 30 days. Vatican City has no documented general hospital operation, so inpatient and advanced treatment may require transfer to health facilities in Italy.