The president of SIP, Annamaria Staiano, at the opening of the 77th congress: “It would be important to recognize the legal value of pediatric sub specialties on a regulatory level, as is already the case in other European countries. To this end, Sip has drawn up a document currently being examined by the Ministry of Health. Children have the right to be cared for by professionals who are adequately trained to assist people in developmental age “
18 MAG –
On the one hand, the epidemic of chronic diseases, which now affect about 18% of the pediatric population, and which require a high level of specialization for global management. On the other hand, the decrease in the number of specialist pediatricians who have to take care of it.
It starts from this paradox Annamaria Staiano, in his opening speech at the 77th National Congress of the Italian Society of Pediatrics, the first under his Presidency, in which he addresses the main challenges and criticalities of Italian Pediatrics. Beginning with the urgent need to reform the current system of pediatric care, today in deep crisis: a priority to avoid that children end up being treated by the adult doctor and not by professionals adequately trained for the assistance to patients in childhood.
As is happening for other specialties also in Pediatrics, “an increasing number of hospital doctors decide to leave their positions to dedicate themselves to the territory or to private activities. This phenomenon called ‘Great Resignation’, exacerbated by the pandemic, has many causes, including burnout due to grueling shifts, continuous aggressions, poor economic gratification, etc. ”explains the Sip President. “However, we have the resources to restart: our trainees” states Staiano. “We must acknowledge the latest governments for an ever-increasing increase in specialist grants. In the last 8 years the number has tripled from 357 in 2014 to 954 in 2021. The increase in trainees represents an extraordinary possibility for the world of Pediatrics of the future, which places us in front of very specific training responsibilities “.
Pediatric subspecialties must be recognized to manage increased chronic pathologies. The reforms of graduate schools in the last 5 years have profoundly changed the basic education of pediatricians. Since 2015, the classic five-year period has been changed to a basic three-year period, followed by a specialist two-year period with 14 possible sub specialties (neonatology, allergology, cardiology, endocrinology to name a few). This reform was integrated by the 2019-2020 DDL which introduced the enabling degree, and the possibility of completing the two-year period in hospitals, according to the Calabria Decree. In particular, these last two reforms aim decisively at entering the world of work as early as possible, precisely to address the current shortcomings. “It would be important to recognize the legal value of pediatric subspecialties on a regulatory level, as is already the case in other European countries. To this end, Sip has drawn up a document currently being examined by the Ministry of Health ”, adds the Sip President. “Children have the right to be cared for by professionals who are adequately trained to assist children in developmental age. For this reason, it is crucial to recognize the figure of the subspecialist pediatrician (e.g. pediatrician, cardiologist, pediatrician, allergist, pediatrician, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, etc.) who can cope with the increase in children and adolescents with chronic diseases and adequately manage the transition from childhood to adolescence. “.
Re-launch the search. There is no good training and assistance without good research. “Unfortunately, national and international data show a progressive reduction in the number of medical researchers, which in the last 30 years has gone from 5% to 1.5%”, says the President of SIP. One of the reasons is the scarce funding, a problem that particularly concerns Italy which is among the European countries that invests least in research. To encourage the participation of young pediatricians in research, SIP has introduced a package of specific initiatives, both locally and nationally, with a multi-year program of calls for young researchers.
Appeal against denatality 600,000 fewer children in 15 years, about 1.4 million fewer students in 12 years, births collapsed below the threshold of 400,000 new births in 2021. “Childhood is at risk of extinction, pediatricians cannot stand by and watch , we are at the forefront to face this socio-demographic emergency. An important signal of attention comes from the Family Act wanted by Minister Bonetti ”, concludes Staiano.
18 maggio 2022
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