«We have recently learned of the constant announcements of the arrival of “Rizzoli” professionals in the Castellano hospital, also defining the details such as the operating room dedicated to exclusive use, specific spaces such as clinics and storage rooms for Rizzoli equipment in addition to the hospitalization areas that will entail yet another redevelopment of the premises which in recent years have seen a “do and undo” leaving citizens increasingly disheartened. Perhaps we have proceeded until now without a clear and far-sighted vision? In all this organizational confusion, we must ask the relevant institutions such as the Local Health Authority of Piacenza and the Socio-Health Conference made up of the mayors of the Province, what were the economic and organizational advantages that led to the decision to close the complex orthopedics and traumatology operational unit which in Castelsangiovanni it has always carried out its very useful function with a staff made up of young professionals motivated to stay to subsequently organize the arrival of other orthopedists. We had doctors! Why do we have to draw on professionals from Bologna today? What are the real advantages? How much of the agreement will be dedicated to these interventions and how much will be private? Reading the contract signed by the Local Health Authority and the Rizzoli Institute, it clearly emerges that the IOR objective, despite being a publicly-owned company, is essentially linked to the search for remuneration in exchange for the activities carried out at the Castello hospital. The Ausl will be responsible for the supply of part of the equipment, equipped spaces and staff to be entrusted, in command, in IOR management as well as recognizing that the Bolognese Institute, as a “production company”, will not suffer losses also for the activities in freelancer. The transfer of management of orthopedics to IOR would also leave the future of the Castellano hospital unchanged which, for the rest of its activities, will be, as foreseen by the penalizing health plan, reduced to a territorial garrison without any longer a PS and/or Pppi (point first aid) replaced by a simple outpatient activity (Cau) managed by family doctors. Finally, a final observation is necessary, knowing the problems of increasingly less available accommodation in the country, how can the arrival of healthcare personnel from Bologna be reconciled in addition to the planned active mobility, which will bring an ever-increasing number of carers and family members to Castello, without having still thinking about creating adequate accommodation facilities in the areas surrounding the hospital. I conclude by observing how many and substantial resources have been used to weaken and close entire health services to the detriment of patients. The Ausl narrative has seen the use of a language capable of sweetening the bitter and sad reality worthy of the most aggressive corporate marketing. For patients from Castellano and beyond, in addition to deception, there is also mockery.”
Silvia Brega (Provincial coordination of healthcare and territorial medicine)
