Terms and Conditions
On this page you will find the conditions of use of the services offered by our Institute and information about the terms and timing of payment for services provided by our specialists.
Terms and Conditions
Patients are kindly asked to provide the information requested, which is necessary for the provision of appropriate medical services.
Istituto di Neuroscienze is not an emergency facility.
In the event of an emergency, please go to the emergency room or contact directly 112 (European unique number for emergencies).
The access to all the services offered by the Institute can only take place by appointment and during opening hours.
The access of the accompanying person is limited to one person per patient in compliance with the anti-COVID-19 safety measures.
Dogs and animals are not allowed unless you have a certificate of companionship.
Patients and an accompanying person can stay within the Institute only during the times of the appointment.
Any damage caused to premises, objects and equipment must be repaid.
We only exclusively release the results of interventions (tests, evaluations and other services) if considered necessary. We do not release our own "work material" filled in by patients.
The delivery of results of the visits, interventions, diagnostic and evaluation tests, and any medical documents, certificates and reports if they have been issued, prescriptions and invoices is immediate. It is the patient’s responsibility to retain this documentation, as it will be used as a reference for future check-ups. If a copy of the documentation is requested at a later date, only what is available at that time will be provided, subject to a fee.
The final use of the assessments (clinical, insurance, forensic for certifications) must be disclosed at the time of booking. Dr. Pallanti does not carry out forensic certifications and does not carry out visits aimed only at certifications in general.
The doctor–patient relationship must be based on mutual trust. It is the patient’s responsibility to thoroughly inform themselves about the proposed therapy and to make a conscious decision about whether or not to proceed. Please avoid undergoing our treatments or services in case of disagreement, doubts about the benefits, or lack of trust in the integrity, honesty, or transparency of our work.
If you continue to use our services, you are informed and understand the benefits and risks of our services and you have fully and completely consented to our services.
The intervention must be individualized, so the initial visit and evaluation is essential even for those who already have a previous diagnosis.
The initial visit is intended as a fact-finding visit. After the initial visit, further visits are necessary to arrive at an initial personalized treatment. The number of visits required before reaching an initial personalized treatment depends on the individual condition and the duration of the disorder.
The duration of the disorder, when left untreated or inadequately treated, is considered a factor that worsens the prognosis, also due to the potential development of additional comorbidities that further complicate clinical pictures.
The treatment of psychiatric disorders is a path that lasts for all your life. Do not expect to recover after few visits or after only one month of treatment.
Please keep in mind that, if previous therapies have been unsuitable or ineffective, it may take up to 6 - 8 months just to mitigate their negative effect. Until the negative effect of previous treatments is mitigated, there will be no improvement.
The new treatments may worsen the symptoms at first. This may be due to the disruptive effects of the drug on the body, but this should lead to long-term improvement. This transition period can last up to 6 - 8 months. To observe the positive effects, one must wait for an appropriate time.
Treatment, whether pharmacological or based on neuromodulation, is a gradual process that must adapt over time to the patient’s evolving needs. It is It is never possible to solve all problems with a single cycle of therapy or with the initial medications, as the clinical picture can change in unpredictable ways and often requires ongoing adjustments. The emergence of new symptoms during treatment is possible and should be considered a normal part of the therapeutic process.
The first cycle of therapy is not a “vaccine”: even if symptoms improve or disappear, the underlying brain circuit dysfunction may persist. Prematurely discontinuing treatment increases the risk of relapse, which may present different or more severe symptoms, making recovery more difficult and prolonged. To reduce the risk of recurrence, it is the patient’s responsibility to schedule regular follow-up visits, as more frequent monitoring is generally associated with a lower risk of relapse.
The onset of treatment effects varies from person to person. In some cases, improvement is observed after a few weeks, but sometimes after many months. In general, the time it takes for improvements to appear is inversely proportional to the duration of the disorder and correlated to how it had been treated before coming to Dr. Pallanti; the later the treatment starts, the longer it takes to see the results.
The suggested duration of the initial cycle of neuromodulation therapy is at least 30 consecutive days, with daily sessions (except for Theta-Burst protocols, whose duration may vary). Dr. Pallanti will supervise the progress of the therapy throughout the entire program. Any follow-up visit with Dr. Pallanti, if requested, will be conducted upon payment.
For neuromodulation therapy, if improvement appears only toward the end of the initial cycle, or if no improvement is observed, Dr. Pallanti may propose continuing the therapy beyond the originally scheduled duration.
Neuromodulation treatment requires active collaboration of the patient; without it, the therapy cannot be carried out.
Treatment is valid for a maximum of two months; therefore, to ensure the continuity of taking charge of a patient, follow-up visits must be scheduled within this timeframe (unless otherwise indicated by the doctor). Follow-up visits may be made by Dr. Pallanti’s collaborators. After this time frame, further visit is considered as an initial visit.
Since Dr. Pallanti's treatment is personalized, the treatment plan may be subject to change depending on the course of the patient's clinical picture.
Please contact us only when you are open to continuous treatments, potentially for life.
The consent of both parents is required for the visit of minors. If there is only one parent, please provide us with the certificate attesting to the exclusive exercise of parental authority.
For those who contact us on behalf of another adult person: treatments cannot be effective if the patient does not recognize his or her disorder (lack of insight) or does not wish to undergo treatment. We only accept requests from the person concerned.
For the success of the treatment, "insight" (that the patient is aware of his or her state of illness) and the patient's willingness to improve are essential: without these two conditions, the treatment does not work.
For those who turn to Dr. Pallanti for a substance use disorder: no medicine or interventional therapy, such as Neuromodulation, makes you stop substance use. Our intervention is based on the patient's firm will to stop using the substance. Please contact us after at least four weeks of abstinence. Our therapies help those who have already stopped using it not to relapse when the patient has decided not to start again.
For those who turn to degenerative diseases (e.g. Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, age-related cognitive impairment): The therapeutic goal of the treatment of psychiatric and degenerative disorders is not to heal but to slow down evolution and only in some cases to reduce the pharmacological burden. If the disease is moderate to severe, treatment should be considered as a therapy aimed at slowing down the time of degeneration. In these cases, however, a worsening of motor, neurological and psychiatric symptoms is expected, which will manifest itself in a longer time than in the absence of treatment and no significant improvement may be observed.
For those who do not wish to take medication or follow medical advice: Treatment can be optimized by using all resources that have been scientifically proven to be effective. Refusing therapies identified as effective for one’s condition reduces the chances of improvement and may render alternative treatments ineffective or significantly delay progress.
There is no guarantee that an alternative to the recommended therapy exists. If a patient chooses not to take medication or not to follow the recommended therapy, this may lead to the discontinuation of care by Dr. Pallanti.
For those whose goal is to discontinue treatment: It is not appropriate to approach care with the aim of stopping treatment. Please contact us only when you are open to the possibility of ongoing care, potentially for life.
"Healing from psychiatric disorders is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and well-being, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential" (American Psychiatric Association). So being cured does not mean that you should no longer take your medication or stop psychotherapy or neuromodulation therapies. The improvement of symptoms does not conclude a healing process, but extends those changes aimed at improving holistic well-being and quality of life by continuing care.
Consistent adherence to the proposed treatment is essential for achieving effective results and maintaining continuity of care. In cases of non-adherence or inconsistency in following the therapy, the Institute and Dr. Stefano Pallanti reserve the right to discontinue the therapeutic relationship. Inconsistency is considered, in effect, a withdrawal of consent to treatment.
What we offer is an opportunity for patients to try the neuroscience approach and innovative treatments by employing methods and tools validated by the results of the most recent scientific research. But in all medicine, there are no cures that work for everyone and there still exist unknown diseases. Therefore, there is no guarantee of obtaining the diagnosis or the positive result of the treatments, but Dr. Pallanti tries to apply neuroscientific knowledge to give Personalized care even in very complicated cases.
During treatment, if the clinical picture requires, off-label treatment may be administered in accordance with the latest international guidelines and scientific evidence.
Instrumental examinations (EEG, QEEG, ECG) are carried out at the Institute for monitoring purposes and not for diagnostic purposes. The results are used exclusively for possible adjustment of therapy; therefore, there is no reporting of such examinations.
Treatment with neuromodulation therapies requires the collaboration of the patient without which it is not possible to carry out the treatment.
The prescription of ADHD medication requires careful preliminary planning and evaluation as Italian legal regulations are stricter than those in the U.S. and other countries. It can only be issued following a proper diagnosis recognized by the Italian law. In the absence of such a diagnosis, it will first be necessary to undergo the full assessment protocol to obtain a diagnostic certification, which will then allow for the administration of a challenge test. We are not authorized to prescribe ADHD medication without a medical evaluation. Additionally, since each prescription of Methylphenidate is valid for only 30 days, a monthly follow-up visit is required after the initial prescription.
If the prescribed medication is Methylphenidate, an original paper prescription is required to purchase it in Italy. The prescription can be collected in person, by delegating someone, or by arranging pickup through a courier service.
We offer intravenous therapy (IV therapy) including myer’s cocktail and Ketamine, as well as Esketamine administration. However, careful advance planning, medical visits and evaluations are required to comply with Italian legal regulations as they are stricter than those in the U.S. and other countries.
Autism is not a disease in itself but is a condition of Neuro-immune diversity that can become dysfunctional in relation to pervasiveness, severity, and environmental response. Therefore, it is possible to treat dysfunctions but not cure them. The patient does not become another person after the treatments.
The Istituto di Neuroscienze of Dr. Stefano Pallanti can issue prescriptions for medications available in Italy, but the cost of the medication is borne to the patient.
The Istituto does not issue a “Piano Terapeutico” necessary to get a financial support from the Italian Health system, as it can only be issued by a public facility. The Istituto di Neuroscienze does not provide refundability.
“Piano Terapeutico” to buy medicine with Italian health care system cannot be produced by the Institute as it can only be issued by a public structure. The Institute does not provide possibility of reimbursement.
Clarification for prescriptions paid by the Italian Healty System: For the purposes of prescriptions paid by the Italian Health System, the prescription must be made on the basis of the diagnosis and “Piano Terapeutico” of the public specialist centres identified by the Regions. The Istituto di Neuroscienze of Dr. Stefano Pallanti is a private center that does not produce such a document. The general practitioner can prescribe in the presence of the “Piano Terapeutico” pursuant to Law 648/96 prescribed by the public center identified by the Region. To identify the specialist centre recognised by your region, you can refer to your general practitioner.
If you decide to contact the specialist centers of the Italian Healh System to request the “Piano Terapeutico”, we will be able to issue a report containing the diagnosis and therefore the indication for therapy. It is at the discretion of the Italian Health System’s specialist centres whether or not to issue the prescription with reimbursement. The Istituto di Neuroscienze, Centro di Neurologia, Psichiatria e Psicologia Clinica srl does not guarantee the release of reimbursement.
The new indication for the compilation of the prescription of off-label drugs put forward by Federfarma (Di Bella law) in some regions conflicts with the state law (Presidential Decree 309/1990, art.43 paragraph 3). In practice, the decision to sell or not to sell drugs against a prescription is left to each individual pharmacist. In the preparation of the recipes, we follow what is indicated by the law of the State and recognized by the Tuscany Region; It may be the case that in different regions, some pharmacists reject prescriptions drafted in this way, arguing that they are wrong. This is not an error in the compilation, but since the legislation has a regional character and moreover the interpretation of it depends on each pharmacist, it is impossible to find a method of drafting prescriptions that is valid throughout Italy and for all pharmacists. Please contact several pharmacies if a pharmacist does not accept a prescription.
In compliance with the law on the protection of personal data (Dec. Leg. 196 of
30/06/2003) we cannot answer questions or requests from parents/ family members / caregivers of adult patients without the consent for each request.
In the interests of privacy law, results are only handed over to the patient, or to another person in possession of a delegation and holding their own proof of identity. In no circumstances shall the staff be authorized to provide telephone information on the outcome of the examinations.
We accept health documents only in digital form or in photocopy. All documents, including health documents given by hand to our staff or left inside the Institute will neither be stored nor returned. If the patient requests to photocopy or print documents from the memory stick / email, the cost is 50 cents per page.
Personal effects of any kind and / or health documents left inside the Institute will not be stored or returned.
We do not recommend driving vehicles after examinations and treatments carried out at our institute.
The City of Firenze offers a courtesy service whereby you can download your license plate to enter ZTL for medical examinations. The service is independent from our Institute, so any complaints about any misunderstandings (fines and/or assessments) should be addressed directly to the relevant municipal office. The Centro di Neurologia, Psichiatria e Psicologia Clinica s.r.l. does not accept any responsibility.
Requests of any kind, communicated through any channel (in person, by phone, via email, Messenger, Facebook, or others)—including phone consultations, appointment requests, preparation of certificates, reports, results of tests and evaluations, any kind of prescriptions, clarifications regarding prescriptions, and copy of invoices will generally be processed, upon payment, within 7 days to 3 weeks, but may require more time. If the request is not fulfilled within the indicated timeframe, it is the patient's responsibility to follow up.
Please clarify, during the medical visit, all aspects related to the prescriptions (e.g., dosage and method of administration, name of the medication, changes to ongoing therapies, clarifications about the choice of medication or treatment, etc.). Any clarification requested after the visit will generally be processed, upon payment, within 7 days to 3 weeks but may require more time. Again, if the request is not fulfilled within the indicated timeframe, it is the patient's responsibility to follow up.
The renewal of the prescription is by payment and subject to a medical visit to monitor the parameters of clinical conditions and for possible titration of the medicine.
Information on payment methods and invoicing
The following are subject to professional fees: all medical and psychological consultations and visits, evaluations, and treatments; certificates and medical reports; medical prescriptions; telephone, email, and online consultations; results of tests and other services; requests for medical records or reports after a certain period of time; requests for clarification regarding prescriptions or procedures carried out; as well as the preparation of accompanying letters with specific invoice details.
The payments in question are to be understood as compensation for the competence and knowledge acquired in time, continuous updating with constant commitment to research, the time used by professionals (not only the duration of the visit but also for reading the reports, the study of history and familiarity, the study of the case and relative reading of the literatures carried out outside the time used for the visit) and for the 'use of medical premises and devices, and not as compensation for the result of services. It is therefore understood that the payment cannot be reimbursed regardless of the result obtained.
All services offered can be paid for from the time of booking, but in any case, before the service by debit / credit card. Cash payments are not accepted.
For initial visits: payment must be made within 3 (three) days from the time the visit was scheduled
For follow-up online visits: at least 7 days before the appointment.
The reservation will be confirmed only upon receipt of the payment. In the absence of confirmation, the appointment will be automatically canceled.
Note for billing: If you need the invoice dated on the same date as payment, payment must be made no later than 9:00 am on the day the invoice is to be issued, solely and exclusively by PayPal. If payment is made by bank transfer, it is not possible to issue the invoice on the same day. Instructions for how and when the invoice must be made must be specified by the patient.
Once the invoice has been issued, it can no longer be changed. If there is a need for a special indication for insurance purposes, this must be communicated before the invoice is issued. The drafting of the cover letter for the specifications of the invoices is subject to payment.
Invoices are issued in accordance with Italian legislation, and we do not provide a "super-invoice." Should an accompanying letter with specific invoice details be required, an administrative fee may apply for each letter. In such cases, the patient is responsible for providing the required text with the necessary specifications.
There are neither refunds nor discounts on services interrupted due to force majeure, lack of cooperation of the patient, or in any case events independent of the responsibility of the Institute.
Our Institute is private and does not have agreements with insurance companies.
The cost of visits, evaluations, therapies, medicine, and laboratory diagnostics is often borne exclusively by the person concerned. We do not guarantee reimbursement of visits and therapies from the insurance companies.
We have no agreements with the Italian health system.
Pursuant to D.L. 175/2014, we are required to transmit to the "Health Card System" (Sistema Tessera Sanitaria) the data of health expenses incurred by patients, for the purpose of automatic preparation of tax documentation.
The documentation, both administrative and medical, will be delivered directly to the patient on site or via ordinary email. There are no other delivery methods.
Cancellations must be made at least 7 days before the appointment. After this deadline there will be no possibility of a refund. The refund process may take up to 60 days.
Before starting the visits and treatments, it is advisable to think carefully about what this entails in terms of commitment, time and costs.
Online Counselling
In the case of online services, documents can be sent by email, filled out by the patient and sent back scanned, with a copy of an identification document attached.
The purpose and nature of the professional intervention: psychiatric and psychological counselling and psychodiagnostic assessment to improve psychological wellbeing and manage psychological (cognitive, affective, relational, behavioural) discomforts and difficulties and/or psychopathological disorders, aimed at the individual and/or the family/group.
Cognitive tools (clinical interview, psychodiagnostic tests, observation) and intervention tools (interviews, clinical psychological intervention techniques) may be used for prevention, diagnosis, rehabilitation and support activities in the psychological field.
During the consultations, there will be no unseen third parties in the room with the patient and the psychologist
The interviews will not be recorded in audio or video.
By booking an appointment or accessing our services, the patient unreservedly accepts all the terms described herein.
The undersigned or whoever represents them declares to be capable of understanding and wanting and expresses voluntarily, explicitly and unequivocally my consent to the aforementioned conditions of use of the services of the Centro di Neurologia, Psichiatria e Psicologia (Istituto di Neuroscienze).
Payment Information
At the Neuroscience Institute, we offer an efficient and transparent service regarding payment for our services.
From the time of the appointment reservation, it is possible to pay for all our services using a debit or credit card. In all cases, payment must be made before the services are provided. Please note that we do NOT accept cash payments. For first visits and Skype visits, the payment must be made within 3 days after the appointment is scheduled.
The payments in question are to be understood as compensation for the competence and knowledge acquired in time, continuous updating with constant commitment to research, the time used by professionals (not only the duration of the visit but also for reading the reports, the study of history and familiarity, the study of the case and relative reading of the literatures carried out outside the time used for the visit) and for the 'use of medical premises and devices, and not as compensation for the result of services. It is therefore understood that the payment cannot be reimbursed regardless of the result obtained.
Once the invoice is issued, it cannot be modified. If special wording is required for insurance purposes, this must be communicated at the very time the invoice is issued. Once the invoice has been issued, it cannot be amended, nor can documents be drafted that contain specifications related to the invoice.
Note for invoicing: If you need the invoice dated on the same date as the payment, payment must be made only and exclusively by PayPal no later than 10:00 am on the day in which the invoice must be issued. If payment is made by bank transfer, it is not possible to issue the invoice on the same day. Instruction for how and when the invoice is to be made must be specified at least three days before the payment itself.
We issue an invoice according to Italian legislation and do not issue a super-invoice. If we should issue an accompanying letter with specifications regarding the invoice, an administrative charge may apply per letter. In this case the patient should provide the text of the specifications.
Pursuant to Italian Legislative Decree 175/2014, we are required to transmit data on health care expenses incurred by patients to the "Health Insurance System" (Sistema Tessera Sanitaria, STS) for the purpose of automatic preparation of tax documentation.
Appointment Cancellation: The cancellation of an appointment must be made at least 48 hours before the scheduled date. Outside of this deadline, we will not be able to proceed with any reimbursement.
Certificates and reports: Any required certificates and reports are subject to a fee. The Neuroscience Institute is committed to fulfilling these requests normally in a five days to three weeks time frame.
Phone, email and Skype consultations: Additional phone, email and Skype consultations are chargeable services and such requests are typically processed within a five days to three weeks’ time frame.
