Ospedale Isola Tiberina – Gemelli Isola is a well-known hospital located on Isola Tiberina, a small island in the River Tiber in the heart of Rome. The site has been associated with healthcare since ancient Roman times and has operated as a hospital for over 400 years, making it one of the oldest healthcare institutions in Europe.
Previously called Ospedale San Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli, the hospital was run for centuries by the Fatebenefratelli religious order. In September 2022, it became part of the Gemelli healthcare network and was renamed Ospedale Isola Tiberina – Gemelli Isola, bringing new management and investment while maintaining its historic role within the city.
Today, the hospital functions as a general hospital, offering emergency services as well as inpatient and outpatient care. It provides a wide range of medical services, including internal medicine, diagnostics, cardiology, orthopaedics, oncology, gastroenterology, women’s health and neonatal care. Its central location makes it a convenient option for both residents and visitors to Rome.
For expat families living in or visiting Rome, Ospedale Isola Tiberina – Gemelli Isola is an important healthcare facility to be aware of. As part of the Gemelli group, it combines long-standing medical experience with access to modern facilities and specialist expertise, offering reassurance to those navigating the Italian healthcare system for the first time.
My gynaegologist is based at the Fatebenefratelli on the Isola Tiberina and I saw her probably once a month during pregnancy, in addition to having certain diagnostic tests and one foetal monitoring at the hospital. I also attended several of the free lectures on childbirth and parenthood, which were excellent. However, when I went into labour the maternity ward was full and I had to choose between allowing the hospital to find an alternative on my behalf – but without having any say in where I would end up – or leaving under my own steam and trying to find somewhere else myself. I decided to find my own alternative and ended up at S. Camillo Forlannini, a general hospital on the Gianicolense whose staff have a deserved reputation for brusqueness but where the post-natal care is very good. (Laura Clarke)