@article{69570, 
year={2021},
issn={1972-4845},
journal={SALUTE E SOCIETÀ},
number={suppl. 2},
volume={XX},
doi={10.3280/SES2021-002-S1009},
title={Has healthcare rationalisation been rationale? Hospital beds and Covid-19 in Italy},
abstract={The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the existence of a hospital bed shortage in Italy, as a result of a longstanding trend. The article analyses this process by an international comparison with other Western European countries, highlighting the intensity of hospital bed reduction in Italy, as a fundamental component of NHS rationalisation. Although it was based on solid grounds, international data suggest that hospital bed reduction was probably excessive, depriving the NHS of organisational slack. Moreover, de-hospitalisation would have been matched with a stronger development of primary and community care. The relative shortage of these services, along with the lack of integrated networks between hospital and non-hospital care, explains many difficulties experienced by hospitals in tackling Covid patients. Beyond investments in health care, these elements call to re-think the organisation of health care provision at local level, questioning the purchaser-provider split.}
url={http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/Scheda_rivista.aspx?idArticolo=69570},
author={Stefano Neri}
pages={133-151},
language={EN}}