This is how we can summarize the conceptual philosophy that guided the construction of Mirandola Community Housethe subject of an institutional visit this afternoon to construction site completed. On the sidelines of the District Committee dedicated precisely to the structure, which it will be activated in June after the authorization phasei Mayors of Mirandola and the Municipalities of the Northern Area Union visited the new spacestogether with the President of the Emilia-Romagna Region Stefano Bonaccini. Accompanying them is the General Director of the Modena Local Health Authority Anna Maria Petrinithe Director of the Mirandola District Annamaria Ferraresi and those responsible for territorial assistance Federico Barbani, Mariella Carolina Gallo, Mary Guerzoni, Anna Maria Arroiwith Inga Iamandiiand hospital, with Giuseppe Licitra and a representation of doctors and professionals.
The design of the structure, at the center of a participatory path that involved the world of volunteering and that of schools (in particular the students of the Luosi di Mirandola socio-health institute of higher education), was built on the basis of the health profiles of the population of the Mirandola district, integrated with a demographic and territorial context analysis. The increase in life expectancy, linked to the improvement of healthcare, has also brought with it an increase in the percentage of people with one or more chronic pathologies, such as diabetes mellitus.
It is from these considerations that the working group began to weave the network that will lead to providing the District with a modern structure, capable of strengthening the provision of local services in a widespread manner, coordinating different paths and professionals and developing a new idea of health, defined as community well-beingaimed at proactive community medicine and prevention.
The Mirandola Community House, an investment from 4 million and 360 thousand euros of corporate, regional and state fundsalso including the quota for completing the withdrawal point recently activated, it finds space in the complex of the Santa Maria Bianca Hospital, precisely in the North Wing of the 02 Corps specially redeveloped. Easily reachable both via cycle and pedestrian paths and by private and public means of transport, the location of the structure allows for a physical and organizational connection with the hospital and service centrein which there are various district services including the Consultancy, the Territorial Operations Center (COT), Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry and the Integrated Home Care Service.
The overall planning of the work was illustrated to the Mayors (further 1,400m2 dedicated to reception, primary and specialist care and prevention and health promotion, developed on three floors), starting from the spaces and services that will be operational here: they will be present on the mezzanine floor clinics dedicated to general practitioners of MediGroup Mirandola group medicine is one space dedicated to volunteering and the Single Access Pointfor reception and orientation to services.
On the first floor there is space for specialist clinics of Diabetology, Orthopaedics, Infectious Diseases, Ophthalmology and Orthoptics, together with the Community Nurse. It is above all here, in the rooms on the first floor, that it finds concrete expression hospital-territory integrationthanks also to the provision of basic diagnostics (retinograph, electrocardiograph, spirometer, etc.) which will allow us to give an initial answer to citizens’ health questions, taking advantage of the telemedicine. The second floor is dedicated to the staff changing rooms, both hospital and Community House.
The institutional visit concluded with the presentation of the new withdrawal pointoperational since March 25th in the renovated spaces with access from the concierge entrance in Block 01 of the hospital. The definitive headquarters, active from 7.15am to 9am (Monday to Saturday), is made up of three counters for acceptance and five stations for carrying out withdrawalsfor a capacity of approximately 150-180 withdrawals per day.
“This new structure – states the President of the Region Stefano Bonaccini – represents an extraordinary added value for the entire territory. For two fundamental reasons: the first is the further strengthening of local medicine in which in Emilia-Romagna, unfortunately in contrast with the government, we continue to invest with conviction. The second is the innovative method of its implementation which arises from the involvement of the territory, starting from the world of volunteering and schools, and from the analysis of its specific needs. The right way to make this Community House even more corresponding to the needs of the communities it will serve”.
“The visit allowed us to preview the new premises to the Mayors – explains the General Director of the Ausl Anna Maria Petrini – but the most important aspect of the Mirandola Community House is the interconnection that these spaces will have with hospital and local services and professionals, in order to provide global and univocal care. A great deal of work has been done on the analysis and contextualisation of supply and demand, precisely to meet the real health needs of citizens. Here specialists, general practitioners, paediatricians and nurses will dialogue to create a response that is as tailor-made as possible for each patient. Furthermore, the contribution of volunteers, who will be entrusted with the task of welcoming and orienting citizens between the various services, is fundamental. Finally, the strong integration between social and healthcare, which has already been taking place for years in common paths and projects, finds greater expression and potential here”.
“The health of our community – declares the Mayor of Mirandola Alberto Greco – represents an absolute priority and in this sense the concepts of efficiency of the healthcare system and awareness regarding prevention must remain such for all competent political leaders: of any order and degree. I am concluding a five-year administrative period in which the concept of healthcare, with the experience of the pandemic, has been completely overturned at an international level: let alone for us Mayors and local administrators. Having made these necessary premises, I believe today could represent a precious opportunity but in any case an intermediate point, in which we can carefully reflect on what the real priorities of today are to be transmitted in the planning of a healthcare system that will have to deal with also of the posthumous generations to all those present. Contemporary choices regarding healthcare are in fact binding for those who succeed us and we must inevitably take this into account. Lower Modena is a large territory but at the same time united and compact on the need for more punctual and accessible services to avoid fueling the theory that there may be Serie A citizens, residing in large urban centres, and Serie B citizens who, equal tax burdens, must suffer a progressive worsening of the services received. We are confident that the second theory can be disproved, but it is urgent to launch a common line of thought and action and today, a prelude to the next entry into operation of the community house, is a second step, the first was shown to me a few days ago with the entry into operation of the blood sampling center, which is decidedly encouraging”.
“Today we saw firsthand the realization of this important structure for Mirandola and for the Northern Area territory that gravitates around it – points out Claudio Polettipresident of the Union of Modena Northern Area Municipalities and mayor of Finale Emilia -. Its entry into operation will represent a further step towards the creation of healthcare that is increasingly closer to the citizen and at the service of local communities, as outlined by the indications and investments promoted by the Emilia-Romagna Region. The completion of the Community Houses of Mirandola, San Felice and Finale Emilia will allow the services and many skills that gravitate around the Mirandola hospital to be even more networked. The establishment and entry into operation of the Assistance and Emergency Centres, the activation of specialist clinics located throughout the area, the integration between health services and social services, the role of the Community Houses, starting from the present, shape a future in which the increasingly central element will be the patient, the person who needs care and assistance, who needs to feel close to the presence of the professionals, doctors and nurses, who assist him”.