TRENTO. High per capita costs and an anomalous reduction in surgical interventions for oncological pathologies, especially for breast and uterine tumors. These are the two “worst” indicators of Trentino health that emerge from the analysis of regional health performance promoted by the Management and Health Laboratory of the Institute of Management of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa.
The so-called “Targets” system, which for years now evaluates the performance of regional health systems with the aim of fully seizing the investment opportunities and those of redesigning the offer of services. ‘is precisely Trentino too.
Among the most evident regional disparities is that of health expenditure. Trento has always had high levels. “This year the per capita cost is 2,531 euros. A high value, which grew due to Covid, but in 2021 Trentino was also the only reality not to have registered an increase compared to the previous year », underlines Milena Vainieri, head of the Management and Health Laboratory. (MeS) of the Institute of Management of the Sant’Anna School of Pisa.
The range of per capita costs is quite wide, ranging from 1,590 euros for per capita health care costs in the Genovese Ausl 3, to 2,968 euros in the autonomous province of Bolzano. From the 12 targets made by Sant’Anna it emerges clearly the efficiency of Veneto and Tuscan healthcare compared to other regions. Both with 21 indicators that hit the target and none in the red zone.
Trentino can also be satisfied despite some critical issues. “42% of the indicators have improved compared to last year, 35% have worsened and 22% have remained stable,” says the researcher. “There are therefore good signs that the situation could improve further.”
But which are the sectors where the most critical issues have been recorded, in addition to costs?
First of all, oncology, but not so much for waiting times as for volumes of activity. The data for 2019, therefore in the pre-pandemic phase, were compared and a strong reduction in the interventions carried out emerged. “We do not know if for a minor request or for another”, they point out to S. Anna.
In fact, decreasing numbers have been reported for breast cancers, sentinel lymph node analysis and uterine cancers. In this case, probably, the answer must be sought in the transfer of many interventions to Verona after the dismissal of the primary Tateo.
The data on site inspections is also not optimal. “This is a criticality that unites many realities and is due to the fact that the construction sites have increased a lot but the safety checks have not as much”.
Stamp in the completely red area also with regard to Covid vaccinations. Here the reason is to be found in the fact that the data analyzed are those of December 2021 when our Province was slightly behind the rest of Italy.
On the other hand, the data on other vaccinations which, despite the great work carried out on the Covid front, do not appear to have been neglected, is satisfactory.
The indicators for which Trentino has achieved a completely green light with more than satisfactory indices are those related to pediatrics, palliative care, cancer screening and digital health. «Valuing our professionals and the best organizational solutions that emerged during the pandemic, keeping our guard up against the risks of a return of inappropriate phenomena and having the courage to accept the challenge of organizational change. These are the three pillars, ”said Sabina Nuti, rector of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies