Val di Sogno Hospital Faces Transition as Ulss 22 Seeks Private Partnership
The moment of truth is approaching for the hospital in the upper lake area. The tender launched by Ulss 22 to transform the lakeside hospital into a limited liability company with predominantly public capital (51% will remain with Ulss) is set to expire on Monday. This entity would be capable of managing the hospital with greater administrative flexibility aimed at revitalizing the facility. This aligns with the policy approved in the summer of 1999 by the Regional Council, which sanctioned the plan for the reorganization of Veneto healthcare. Plans include a testing facility in Malcesine with a focus on orthopedic rehabilitation. In short, this is the only way to secure a future for the historic Val di Sogno hospital.
A large part of the city council agrees, having discussed the operation’s implications during the latest open session with middle school students. “The management model combining public and private sectors represents an innovative approach that we fully support, provided the points and objectives originally declared are kept in mind,” emphasized Mayor Giuseppe Lombardi.
Essentially, the hospital should continue to provide basic healthcare services, maintaining orthopedics, functional rehabilitation, emergency services, radiology, and the analysis lab. To ensure that this leap forward does not hide any unpleasant surprises, the city council has approved, with only the majority votes, a proposal to participate in the hospital management company. “We are requesting to contribute financially to the participating companies so they can be part of the consortium that will determine the fate of our hospital,” responded Budget Councilor Ferdinando Sbizzera.
“Let me be clear: we don’t want to hinder anyone, but this is the only way to guarantee the safeguarding of our citizens’ rights. It is futile to ignore how vital and important the hospital is for our territory, from the perspective of healthcare, employment, and image on a national and international level,” concluded Sbizzera. Livio Concini, Social Services Councilor, stressed the necessity for the hospital to retain its orthopedic-rehabilitation focus, especially preserving the unit dedicated to treating polio patients, which was the reason for establishing the hospital center in Val di Sogno in 1949.
The upcoming tender, closing Monday, specifies that interested private parties must demonstrate experience in managing social and health services. They must also propose concrete ideas for services to be activated and expanded. The submitted projects will be evaluated by a commission appointed by the Azienda Sanitaria, which will consider overall how well the objectives set by Ulss have been met.
Once the best proposal is identified, Ulss and its partner will develop a management trial project to be presented to the Regional Council. The Region can adopt the project and submit it to the Permanent Conference for the relationship between State and Regions, which will be asked to give an opinion. If approved, the Bussolengo company and the private partner will proceed with establishing the LLC, which will have a board of directors (five members, non-shareholders included, elected by the shareholders’ meeting), a president with powers of representation, and a CEO responsible for ordinary administration.
The assembly will need to approve a strategic and a financial plan, as well as appoint the auditors of the board of statutory auditors. The property will remain owned by the healthcare company, which will lease it to the newly formed company.
