During the first week of October our Secretary General, Ms Ilaria Giannico, accompanied a delegation of the French Hospital Federation – branch long term care and rehabilitation (FHP-SSR) during a study tour in Italy.
The delegation had the chance to spend a full week between the Piemonte and Lombardy regions in Italy, combining institutional meetings with hospitals visits. These two regions are among the most efficient and advanced in delivering healthcare in Italy, with continuous investments, lean management and with a significant active mobility of patients from the different Italian regions (especially from the south).
The delegation started in Turin with a meeting at the Piemonte region building where they had the chance to listen to Dr Ripa and Dr Ferraris presenting the Italian Healthcare System with a focus on the regional system and how the rehabilitation system is organized and financed. They had the honor to meet Dr Luigi Icardi, regional Ministry of Health who spend supportive words in favor of the private hospitals and their essential role in the healthcare systems all over Europe.
The delegation then visited Foundation Don Gnocchi and Hospital Koelliker Fisio.
The study tour continued in Lombardy, with a first visit to one of excellence of the region and prominent member of Associazione Italiana Ospedalità Privata (AIOP): the Hospital San Raffaele in Milano. Huge thanks to Dr Iannacone, Director of the rehabilitation department, to Dr Beretta, President of AIOP Lombardy, to Prof. Gabriele Pelissero, AIOP Vice-President and UEHP Board member and to all the professionals at San Raffaele hospital for their enriching presentations, valuable exchanges and perfect organization.
The tour continued with other hospital visits at Clinica Quarenghi, Hospital Auxologico San Luca (Istituto Auxologico Italiano), Foundation Gaetano e Piera Borghi.
The experience was extremely enriching and productive for all the participants and it was also the opportunity for our Secretary General to tighten the ties with both our Italian and French members. Lots of new ideas came up and we will follow up with more common projects and joint UEHP – FHP-SSR activities in the coming months.
