Just under 15 thousand visits were carried out for patients left without a doctor in the Bergamo area. This is the impact, in 2023, of the project Spread out clinics in community homes implemented by Ats Bergamo in response to the known organic shortage of doctors in the area.
In areas (groups of municipalities) with few doctors, Ats has promoted a project based on the availability of other doctors. Users booked appointments in local pharmacies, via the dedicated App or at the Single Access Points (Pua) of community houses to obtain prescriptions and non-deferrable visits. The appointments then took place in the community houses.
The budget of the project last year was 3,738 hours of outpatient activity, equal to 14,952 visits out of 16,611 made available (slot): at the Treviglio community house, 7 doctors carried out 6,859 visits, in Martinengo a doctor carried out 155, in Lovere always one well 345, while in Sant’Omobono Terme two doctors performed 5,317, in Ponte San Pietro nine doctors performed 1,565 and in Dalmine two doctors performed 711.
«Transitional instrument»
«The activity of Ats Bergamo – he declares Massimo Giupponigeneral director of Ats Bergamo – was characterized by an important commitment to dialogue with doctors. The widespread clinics initiative is inserted as a transitional tool to address an objective criticality. Over time, the appointment booking methods have been extended: from the local pharmacies, always receptive and available, to the dedicated App, to the Pua of the community houses, where, moreover, the doctors themselves can find a place already available and with all the necessary supports to concentrate exclusively on clinical activity, helping the regional health and social system to give a concrete response to the needs of its patients”. The project has seen strong demand: saturation (percentage of hours provided compared to those made available by professionals) is 90%.
«The numbers provided by Ats – he comments Juri Imeripresident of the Conference of Mayors of the West Bergamo Asst (area which has 4 community houses part of the project, Treviglio, Martinengo, Dalmine, Ponte San Pietro) – confirm what the Management of the West Bergamo Asst, together with the District directors and doctors, has been able to be operational and concrete by providing an answer to citizens and the territory. And with the new general and strategic management we will continue along this path, continuing to improve local services. The situation of general practitioners, despite many difficulties, seems to be improving; I also underline the important role of pharmacies, a precious reference for citizens. With the direct transfer of competences from Ats to Asst, the impact of choices and the ability to intercept territorial dynamics could be even more incisive, without prejudice to the need for provincial coordination”.
«Indeed – he adds Giambattista Brioschipresident of the Conference of Mayors of the Pope John XXIII Asst – with the shortage of doctors in recent years, the widespread clinics have truly been a help for our territories, especially for the valleys, where the shortage of doctors has been felt more as well as in low. The doctors who signed up to this proposal did an excellent job making up for those patients who were orphaned by their GPs, especially as can be seen from the numbers the community houses were of great help. So I believe it is a measure that the Asst will also have to evaluate.”
However, the clinics spread across community homes are not the solution to the shortage of family doctors, and they must not be. «The widespread clinics project – he concludes Gabriele Cortesipresident of the Conference of Mayors of the Asst Bergamo est – is put in place by Ats to drain the Mmg emergency. The fact that they were also partially present within the community homes is a positive fact that should be underlined and I believe it is appropriate to push and enhance the presence of general practitioners within the community homes. The numbers highlighted demonstrate that when there is a shortage of a doctor in the area, this project can be effective in resolving the emergency. Then there remains the issue of the shortage of doctors which we hope will be resolved in the medium term because the situation is complicated. I therefore believe it is an effective emergency solution but it remains an emergency nonetheless.”
2024-01-14 11:21:14
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