The Biella Hospital confirms itself as being “female-friendly”. The Onda Foundation, the National Observatory on Women’s and Gender Health, has in fact renewed the two Pink Stamps already assigned to the ASLBI for the previous two-year period 2020-2021 for the two-year period 2022-2023.
Over 350 Italian hospitals have been awarded this recognition, which since 2007 has rewarded the structures most attentive to the promotion of female health, both through initiatives dedicated to prevention and with specific services for the diagnosis and treatment of the main diseases of women, but also of those that transversally concern men and women from a gender perspective.
The Pink Stamps are assigned by the Onda Foundation on a scale of one to three and, compared to the last two years, the principals who can boast the recognition have increased from 335 to 354, for their attention to women’s health also through paths dedicated to the prevention of perineal injuries during childbirth.
The evaluation of the hospitals and the assignment of the Pink Stamps was carried out through a questionnaire consisting of over 400 questions, each with a predetermined value, divided into 15 specialist areas plus a section dedicated to the management of cases of violence against women and health workers. An Advisory Board chaired by Walter Ricciardi, Professor of Hygiene and Public Health at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Rome, validated the stamps obtained by the hospitals following the calculation of the total score obtained in the candidacy, also taking into consideration the qualitative elements of particular relevance not assessed through the questionnaire (such as for example special services and paths and particular initiatives and projects including prevention).
The first Pink Stamp of the ASLBI dates back to 2008 and the recent confirmation further attests the Hospital’s attention to diagnostic-therapeutic services and paths aimed at women. Specifically, the ASLBI services aimed at women’s health and particularly relevant in the attribution of the Pink Stamps concern Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Oncology and paths dedicated to gender-based violence and socio-cultural aspects.
Obstetrics and Gynecology: diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis, diagnosis and treatment of uro-gynecological and pelvic floor diseases, multidisciplinary management of chronic pelvic pain, Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination clinic, sexually transmitted diseases clinic, menopause clinic, voluntary termination of pregnancy service, diagnosis non-invasive prenatal with nuchal translucency and duo test, invasive prenatal diagnosis with amniocentesis and CVS, multidisciplinary clinic, pathological pregnancies, birth point, free epidural analgesia H24 7/7 days, water birth, Umbilical cord blood collection center, TIN (Neonatal Intensive Care );
Medical Oncology: diagnosis and treatment of breast tumors, diagnosis and treatment of female genital tumors, diagnosis and treatment of colorectal tumors, diagnosis and treatment of skin tumors, diagnosis and treatment of lung tumors, diagnosis and treatment of thyroid tumors, multidisciplinary oncogenetic surgery, preservation of fertility in patients oncology, psycho-oncology service, pain therapy and palliative care, anti-smoking center, 24-hour telephone consultation for patients in chemotherapy, wig rental.
In this context, the collaboration with the Edo Tempia Fund is active, which takes care of regional breast and cytological screenings and which has enriched the equipment of the departments with its donations such as the Dignicap, the equipment that prevents hair loss in women operated on breast and subjected to chemotherapy, or the temporary prostheses given away thanks to a joint initiative with bonprix. The Molecular Oncology Laboratory is at the service of patients to improve diagnosis and make therapy more effective and is at the forefront of ovarian cancer, being one of the two centers in the whole of Piedmont to perform tests on particular genetic mutations. The 3Tx3N research project involves the research facilities of the Fund and studies triple negative breast cancers. For the aesthetics of patients, ASLBI Oncology and Edo Tempia Fund are partners for the project “Ricomincio da me”. The synergy with local bodies and associations, including the Edo Tempia Fund, therefore represents a strength and excellence in management of women’s health and gender medicine.
Violence against women: active procedure, since September 2011, for taking charge of victims of violence within the hospital. The procedure provides, from the moment of entry to the Emergency Department, the reception and management of women and their children in a dedicated area, possible protected shelter also for children, as well as collaboration paths with local authorities and social assistance services present in the area. Biella, the Anti-violence Center and voluntary associations. The courses are in line with what is defined by the regional coordination table and with the national guidelines. There has also been an important collaboration for several years with the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Biella, always attentive and sensitive to the needs of citizens, a great stimulus for the ASLBI.
Other services: social assistance, collaboration with patient and volunteer associations, cultural mediation service, waiting times that can be consulted online, hotel conventions.
“The ASL of Biella is particularly sensitive to the issue of gender medicine and women’s health, as evidenced by the continuous participation in the national initiative of the Onda Foundation – underlines Antonella Tedesco, Medical Director of the Health Department of the Presidium – Paths of this type have as their objective the timely and effective taking charge of the citizen by the Health Authority, intercepting their needs with specific and targeted services on the needs of the individual patient thanks to the professionalism of the medical and health personnel “.
Prof. Paolo Manzoni, Director of the Maternal and Infant Department and Director of SCDU Pediatrics ASLBI, highlights how “the strength of our hospital in the maternal and child context is the logistical-structural and organizational continuity of services, between obstetrics, gynecology, neonatology and pediatrics , for an all-round assistance of the patient ».
“During this two-year period, our commitment will be to further increase assistance in favor of citizenship, thus aiming to confirm, and perhaps even improve, the recognition that has been assigned to us by Onda – says Bianca Masturzo, Director of Obstetrics and ASLBI gynecology – The objective will always be the well-being of the woman at three hundred and sixty degrees ».
“The Biellese Breast Unit now has an important history behind it and with continuous commitment and updating wants to offer patients all possible options in the treatment of breast cancer – adds Massimiliano Bortolini, breast specialist of the ASLBI General Surgery – This is why we believe the Bollini Rosa project which is particularly significant and we are proud of the new recognition given to our hospital in this sense ».
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