Over 61 million euros will be allocated in Lombardy to reduce waiting lists and guarantee over 7 million medical procedures by December 2024. This plan also includes the opening of outpatient clinics in the afternoon (4-8 pm) and Saturday mornings to reduce waiting times. The resolution approved by the Regional Council also includes monitoring the priorities indicated by medical prescriptions and the timing of tests and visits.
Public facilities will have to perform 4.1 million procedures, while accredited private facilities will have to guarantee 3.1 million. The goal is to increase the overall number of procedures, allocating two-thirds of the funds to public providers and one-third to private providers. The specific quantities of procedures to be performed by each facility will also be established based on waiting lists, available staff, and expected timing.
To ensure the effectiveness of the measures taken, the General Welfare Directorate will conduct monthly monitoring to identify any issues in the territories. In case a procedure is not available within the expected timeframe, the facility will commit to finding other solutions within the territory of the Health Protection Agency (ATS) or provide the procedure under private practice at its own expense.
The resolution also includes reducing the delivery times of screening test results, such as mammograms and fecal occult blood tests for colorectal cancer screening. All eligible individuals will be invited to undergo mammograms, colorectal, and cervical cancer screenings.
Furthermore, by 2024, a single booking center (Cup) will be activated in 8 public healthcare institutions and two private ones in Lombardy. This initiative aims to simplify access to care and improve the efficiency of healthcare services.
The Welfare Councillor emphasized that the law does not provide for reimbursement of privately performed procedures and urged to preserve the Lombardy healthcare system, considering it the best in Italy in terms of response times, capacity, and costs.
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