In mid-June 4,300 people assisted, 800 more than in the same period last year with a closing estimate for the end of 2024 of 10,000 passages (in 2023 there were 8,977). These are the numbers of accesses to the emergency room of La Maddalena which continues to be a point of reference for the northern area of Gallura and for tourists.
«More and more patients from neighboring areas are turning to the emergency room of the Paolo Merlo hospital – says Dr. Pietro Fortuna, head of the service – and we are able to provide answers thanks to the work of a team made up of four doctors including me, who work with active shifts trying to assert my previous experience in a DEA in Piedmont, with tens of thousands of visits a year and which was a reference hub for other hospitals. In La Maddalena there is a climate of great collaboration between all the health workers, doctors, nurses and OSS, and this is also important in view of the summer emergency that we are ready to face. A fundamental support for our Emergency department, which can include patients with time-dependent pathologies, users who need access to the specialized and high-intensity care departments of both the Gallura Local Health Authority and the Sassari and Cagliari HUBs, a to which the most serious patients belong after stabilization in our unit, with the indispensable support of helicopter transport with which we are able to guarantee hospitalization in the most appropriate department and in a short time".
«All this - concludes Fortuna - would not be possible without the continuous interaction between all the hospital staff and the spirit of collaboration that animates us. This allows us to give the best answers for the good of the patient, our ultimate and only daily objective."
«The emergency room, which is not a first aid point but an emergency room with staff trained for the management of urgent emergencies – adds Dr. Vanina Rognoni, director of the medical management of the Paolo Merlo – has seen a considerable increase in its business compared to the pre-pandemic period. In 2019 there were 7164 accesses, divided into 39 red codes, 1546 yellow codes, 5335 green and 244 white. 2023 ended with 8,977 accesses to the emergency room, of which 80 were red codes, and as of 16 June 2024 there were already 4,300 accesses. We estimate we will close the year with 10,000 steps. Another important data: in 2023, time-dependent pathologies which, due to national and regional guidelines and protocols, required centralization at the reference hubs accounted for only 2.7% of accesses. The constant ability to respond to patient needs is guaranteed by an internal organization of the Presidium which makes multidisciplinarity, interchangeability and continuous collaboration its key resources. Over the last two and a half years, the staff has demonstrated great professional skills and adaptation to changes with the ultimate aim of ensuring continuity of care for the patient."
(Unioneonline/ss)