New equivalences: a fair recognition for Emergency Medicine Urgency

by F. De Iaco, B. Susi, A.Voza, A.Fabbri, S.Manca

02 SET –

Dear Director,
the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine Urgency greets with satisfaction and hopes for a rapid formalization of the provision anticipated yesterday by QS relating to the name of the discipline and the equivalences of the specialty of Emergency Medicine Urgency.

The recognition for MEU specialists of the equivalence in the scientific-disciplinary sector MED09 would put an end to a clear asymmetry, which currently allows other specialists to access the Emergency Urgency facilities but excludes mutual treatment for our specialists.

It will be said (someone has already said) that in this way the escape from the Emergency Department is facilitated: in reality, the escape will continue to occur anyway, until the working conditions in Emergency Urgency are profoundly improved. But recognizing the MEU dignity equal to other specialties can only have beneficial effects on enrollment in the School, a fundamental objective given the large percentage of grants that have not been awarded in recent years.

Furthermore, the hypothesis of an adequate relocation in case of physical or age-related problems is absolutely necessary: ​​the model proposed by the Scientific Society and which proves to be highly effective where it is applied, with the articulation of the structures in the Emergency Department – Observation Short Intensive – Semi Intensive Therapy, would guarantee to colleagues in the second half of their professional life the permanence in the structures of the Emergency Urgency. However, pending a definitive and ubiquitous application of the model, this hypothesis proves to be valuable.

The change in the name of the discipline (from “Medicine and Surgery of Acceptance and Urgency” to “Medicine of Emergency Urgency”) marks the conclusion of a path, which began in 2009 with the establishment of the Specialization School and reaffirmed by the Superior Council of Health already in 2011: the harmonization of the denomination of the discipline with that of the specialization (another asymmetry between the MEU and all the other specialties that finally disappears).

It will be said that the world of Emergency Urgency needs much more than a formal and symbolic provision: certainly a true objection, which however does not diminish the importance of the definitive recognition of a laboriously constructed identity, hardened over the years of tireless service, long claimed by the most experienced professionals as well as by young specialists who are now entering the public service.

The enormous problems of the Italian Emergency Urgency remain on the table: the small steps contained in the provision of which we hope for rapid approval strengthen the will of the Scientific Society to continue with the action of support and defense of the Emergency Urgency, in the name of the professionals who they share our commitment but above all in defense of citizens’ right to care.

Fabio De Iaco, Beniamino Susi, Antonio Voza, Andrea Fabbri, Salvatore Manca

SIMEU Presidency Office – Italian Society of Emergency Medicine Urgency

02 September 2022
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