Access to the Experimental Primary Care Clinic

To overcome the “emergency” due to the shortage of family physicians, Asugi will set up an experimental primary care clinic (ASAP) for citizens who are left without a general practitioner (due to retirement or downtime) and do not have the possibility to choose a new one given the current shortage. For this reason, the meeting took place yesterday between the Strategic Management of ASUGI, the Acting Director of the Regional Assistance Department Giacomo Benedetti, the Director of Traditional Medicine Giovanni Maria Farina and representatives of the trade union organizations of general practitioners of SMI, SNAMI, FIMMG Trieste and FIMMG Gorizia. The agreement, reached late in the evening, includes the following points.

The service will be available between 08.00 and 20.00, Monday to Friday, and from 8.00 to 10.00 on Saturdays. The service activity parameter is equivalent to 8 hours per day Monday through Friday for 1500/1800 patients, distributed between service opening activities and back office activities. As a pilot project, it will be evaluated every three months. Where possible, it will be organized at the designated HQ to host the Continuity of Care Service operational base. The service will be available in the regional area of ​​the completed physician registration, until a new GP is appointed.

The economic evaluation of general practitioners accepting an increase in the maximum number of patients assisted was also discussed. For professionals who will accept an increment of more than 1,500 patients and within 1,800 patients, an additional annual incentive fee of €13.46 is also recognized for all options of more than 1,500 patients. This share from January 2023 will also be recognized for cap increases made in December 2022.

Snami Regional Director Matteo Picerna comments: “Snami’s proposals have been accepted by the company, proposals that clearly do not solve the serious shortage of doctors caused by 20 years of defining the health system but as an emergency measure to respond to the need to care for the population.”

“An experimental primary care service Sisap, for all citizens, was also created based on the USCA experience, and is active when a family doctor is not immediately available at 800-614-302, not just for coronavirus-related issues. A training program has also been accepted,” Picerna explains. Continuing care continuity doctors by the company to further improve the quality of services.