of Glenda Venturini
The case is linked to the retirement of 3 family doctors, which took place in March: the patients were reassigned to other doctors, exceeding the limit by way of derogation, pending replacements. “Not only in some cases the exemption number has also been exceeded, but a situation has arisen for which now the patients will have to be sent away after six months”, is the complaint
Doctors with the number of patients in addition to the ceiling, in derogation to cover the retirement of three family doctors: it happens in Florentine Valdarno. And the solution, albeit temporary, of exceeding the normal ceiling (authorized by the Region and applied by the ASL Toscana Centro) becomes a ‘case’: Dr. Carlo Alberto Capanni, general practitioner operating in the municipality of Figline and Incisa from 41, denounces it. years, who in a signed letter explains what, in his opinion, are the problems that have arisen at this time for the doctors and patients of the Florentine Valdarno.
“This case concerns the management of the patients of our ASL – writes Dr. Capanni – on 24.2.2021 we doctors of the area receive an email of the Healthcare Company where we read that, in order to manage a critical care problem due to the retirement of three doctors (by the way, all maximalists, that is with a number of patients of about 1500 units for each) a temporary increase in the ceiling was decided established by normal 1500 patients to 1700. Now I wonder, as an operator in the sector but also as a citizen of this municipality, why this news that catches us at least quite unprepared was reported only on February 24 while it was known that colleagues would go to retirement on the first of March? And again, who has requested the authorization from the Tuscany Region without us doctors being aware of it until at the last moment? And then, who gave this authorization? “.
“I would like to know the names and surnames of those who made these decisions which at least leave me disconcerted, also because there is talk of a period of temporary increase in the ceiling of no more than six months and therefore, at the expiry of these fateful six months, who decides which patients will have to be “dissuaded” so to speak by the doctor who has them only at this point how are you temporarily assisted? Who chooses these defenseless citizens by telling them that, after being assigned to a doctor, after a period of just enough semester for effective mutual acquaintance they must leave him? There are no doubts about this – underlines Dr. Capanni in his letter – they must leave him, otherwise there will be a contractual breach of the rules governing the agreement “.
“Most likely this painful task will fall to the doctor appointed by them without the ASL officials having to give any explanation, and this is a fact that undoubtedly leads to poor management of patients due also and above all to a disproportionate increase in the work of some colleagues. Another fact, if possible, even more serious, as it is unexpected: in the so-called “division” of patients, the number of choices high above the maximum of 1700 patients was not even respected! I am sure of what I say and I take all responsibility for it, on the fact that some colleagues have found themselves with a number of patients in care that well exceeded 1800-1900 units without those who had to attribute the choices had even the slightest deign to verify how the legal limit had been reached and exceeded “.
“And do not make the excuse that the patient’s will to choose is sacred, if so let them leave the ceiling free and do not say, however, that it will be brought back to the threshold of the canonical 1500 after six months! I end this long digression by asking myself only if all of us, patients and doctors of the area, should continue to suffer the oppression and abuse by anyone who believes they can exercise a form of compulsion and dominance. I am not among them “, concludes the letter from Dr. Capanni.
A ‘case’ that also sees politics take the field: the coordinator of Forza Italia in the area, Rodolfo Piccardi, comments in fact: “The position of Forza Italia in the affair that sees a situation of serious imbalance resulting from the retirement of 3 doctors in Figline, leaves us perplexed both about the methods of identifying specialist personnel (doctors) and the fact that patients have been assigned to some doctors in number greater than the 1700 expected, leaving out others with a number of patients even less than 900 units. All this generates a very serious disservice for all those who must and are entitled to health care and, at the same time, for the operators in order to avoid an excessive waste of energy due to the assignment of a higher number of units than the 1500 foreseen. . Forza Italia is therefore the spokesperson for a serious situation which, if the events of the year 2020 were to repeat itself, would create chaos without proportions “.
Forza Italia “therefore invites the health management of the ASL Toscana Centro, first of all, to check if all the doctors available in the Valdarno have been affected by this event (which, moreover, had to be foreseen but, as usual, not cultivated) and, secondly, given the next deadline of September, to find a solution that gives rise to an improvement of the current assistance health care itself, as well as to remove an unbearable burden from the doctors to whom, I am told, even 1,900 patients have been entrusted “, concludes Piccardi.