A points-based health card to emphasize the importance of prevention. A sort of "license" designed by the Lombardy Region to encourage healthy lifestyles, with a trial starting in the province of Pavia.
If a citizen undergoes free screening for colorectal cancer, one of the most serious and common diseases among both men and women, they are rewarded with vouchers for healthy products, as well as incentives for access to gyms and sports activities, books, theater or exhibition tickets, and spa admissions.
In the Pavia area, we will start with a target sample of around 3,000 people between the ages of 50 and 74, the age group targeted for colorectal cancer screening.
"Today, half of those eligible for it undergo this screening in Lombardy, compared to far fewer in the rest of Italy. We want to ensure that everyone who has the opportunity to undergo this screening actually does so," explained Guido Bertolaso, Lombardy Regional Welfare Councilor, speaking about the points card during an event at Casa Italia, in Milan's Triennale. The event was organized to present a project by the Federation of Oncologists, Cardiologists, and Hematologists (FOCE) on healthy lifestyles. The platform, which will collect data that will also be used to develop a research project to support the "license" initiative with scientific theses, is currently being tested . If the trial in the Pavia area is successful, the points card will be extended to the entire Lombardy region.
This project would be unique in Italy and is being replicated around the world. One example is Singapore, where citizens are rewarded with points, which can then be converted into vouchers, for reaching daily fitness goals and are encouraged to undergo screenings and vaccinations in exchange for recognition. The issue concerns health and prevention, but also healthcare organization: "If we could screen for colorectal cancer among everyone at risk of contracting this disease," Bertolaso concluded, "we would save over 150 million euros each year, as well as tens of thousands of days of hospitalization for this type of disease."
