Concrete actions to help design a patient-friendly healthcare system. This is what the 38 patient associations that took part in the two-day “PATH – Join our Future”, organized by Roche Italia, are asking. Convinced that PNRR funding on the one hand and digitization on the other are great opportunities to think about a healthcare capable of being closer to patients and their needs, the associations are now asking the institutions for a change of pace. In this direction goes the proposal of Antonio Gaudioso, Head of the technical secretariat of the Minister of Health, who on the first day announced a meeting at the Ministry with the world of patient associations to promote effective collaboration on health for the end of next July. of the future, starting with the reorganization of the services on the territory.
The 60 delegates undertook to elaborate suggestions for the institutions starting from 5 themes. The first is that of co-creation, which involves the inclusion at all levels – from the central to the territorial ones – of associations in the planning and redesign of services: the experience and value of associations must be included in a process consolidated definition of health and assistance services. The second theme on which the associations discussed in a workshop is that of the territory because the profound transformation that the PNRR plans cannot ignore the involvement of patients in identifying the treatment paths, the centers of reference and the methods of provision of services. To arrive at the evaluation of the effectiveness of the interventions – the third topic of discussion – which not only must be implemented but must see the patients as protagonists in defining at least a part of the indicators. The fourth theme is that of telemedicine, a powerful tool to improve the quality of life of patients, to decongest the system and to save money, which must however be guaranteed uniformly throughout the territory and be accompanied by adequate training of all actors. involved. Finally, the question of big data and the collection of so-called real world data: an issue that must be addressed by ensuring the interoperability of systems and a fair balance with the need for privacy protection.
“Collaborating means pooling goals, efforts and resources. The years of the pandemic have strongly confirmed this. For this reason, like Roche, we immediately set ourselves up as a partner of all the interlocutors of the system. Today we have the great opportunity offered by the PNRR, we are at the moment of take-off and we cannot go wrong. It is necessary to activate a virtuous network that also actively involves Patient Associations ”, stated Maurizio de Cicco, President and CEO of Roche Italia. “Opportunities for discussion such as PATH demonstrate how the Associations are at the center of a great cultural change, not only as a spokesperson for requests and needs, but as an active part in health policy choices. We deeply believe in this paradigm shift and we continue to intensify our commitment by their side day after day ”.
The Path project will continue in the coming months with the elaboration of a document that will be presented to the institutions.