TY -  JOUR
PY -  2021
SN -  1972-4845
T1 -  Has healthcare rationalisation been rationale? Hospital beds and Covid-19 in Italy
JO -  SALUTE E SOCIETÀ
DA -  10/15/2021 12:00:00 AM
DO -  10.3280/SES2021-002-S1009
UR -  http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/Scheda_rivista.aspx?idArticolo=69570
AU -  Neri,  Stefano
SP -  133
EP -  151
IS -  suppl. 2
VL -  XX
LA -  EN
AB -  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.
PB -  FrancoAngeli
ER -