Smart cards at the Caracciolo hospital. Seven Asrem employees, including doctors, nurses and technicians, were reported to the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Isernia for the ongoing crime of false attestations or certifications and fraud to the detriment of a public body.
The story is common to other cases of which the Italian news is often full. But this time we are in Agnone, at the Caracciolo hospital.
The investigations, which began several months ago and carried out by the Carabinieri of the Operational and Radiomobile Unit of the Agnone Company coordinated by the Public Prosecutor of Isernia, made use of a wide range of investigative techniques. In addition to traditional observations, documentary acquisitions, tailings and searches, the Carabinieri used advanced technologies such as the examination of video images, GPS data and electronic entry reading systems. These tools have made it possible to detect various illicit conducts, including unfaithful badge stamping.
Well, all this made it possible to discover various illicit conduct by hospital staff. The 7 investigated and referred stamped their badge, to certify their presence at the workplace, but in fact they dedicated themselves to the most disparate activities: they went shopping at the supermarket or – even – they carried out their activity in other private medical facilities . “Sometimes – they write from the Corps – some employees were outside the region but delegated a family member to stamp their time card both upon entry and exit. Finally, for over a year, despite a specific service having been outsourced to a cooperative, one of the employees still registered his exit in order to unduly receive the related financial compensation”.
The proceeding is in the preliminary investigation phase during which the suspects will be able to assert their defenses. But it is clear that the story is destined to cause a stir in the local community. A case that highlights the need for greater controls and transparency in public health facilities also to prevent the repetition of such behaviors in the future.
