"Who is Dr. Steven Claudio Masotti? What role does he have within Brotzu Hospital? Why does he deal with things he shouldn't be dealing with? We ask the President of the Region and interim Councilor Alessandra Todde to give us an answer." This was stated by Paolo Truzzu, leader of the FdI group in the Regional Council, who today presented a question regarding a resolution by which the department added three additional members to the working group responsible for defining the minimum authorization requirements for pediatric intensive care (which has been the subject of serious criticism from the auditors).
Among the three new members is Masotti, a vascular surgeon at Brotzu. "We're seeing a toxic atmosphere within Sardinia's main healthcare provider, along with staff distress, as well as extreme confusion in management . It seems like someone—in this case, Dr. Masotti—is effectively in charge of this facility, and this is obviously unacceptable."
The question stems from the resolution establishing the Working Group, from which "Dr. Masotti has finally and officially emerged." According to Truzzu, "there would be nothing special if it weren't for the fact that Masotti is supposed to be a vascular surgeon at Brotzu, and if it weren't for the fact that since early September he had appointed himself coordinator of this Working Group, without a title, giving orders, convening meetings, and setting the inauguration date for the intensive care unit , which he claims was agreed upon with the Region, for December 5th."
Then, he continues, "incredibly, on October 27th, well afterward, he was given a role in the Working Group by resolution of the director of the Department of Health." The group leader admits that "these anomalies are not uncommon when it comes to Masotti, who had already arrived at Brotzu in Cagliari through a rather peculiar mobility procedure. Furthermore, his profile has emerged several times within Brotzu because , although he is a vascular surgeon, he apparently deals with public works, engineering, contracts, and tenders, and is often found in the Department in an unclear role, and he is creating a peculiar atmosphere. We have received reports from staff who feel somehow threatened by certain attitudes of the doctor."
Now, Truzzu concludes, "There are two possibilities, given that there's a resolution from the department: either Todde doesn't control the department and doesn't understand what's going on inside, or he's aware of Masotti's activities. Give us an answer."
Deputy group leader Fausto Piga also speaks of "an alarming situation. The suspicion is that Brotzu's own general manager is being influenced by political pressure that prevents him from working calmly." Otherwise , "it would explain the opaque personnel selection processes and administrative procedures that rely heavily on the auditors' findings." Furthermore, "there's an ambiguous chain of command where the undefined figure of the so-called 'sheriff doctor' Masotti emerges." According to his FdI colleague Alessandro Sorgia, "Masotti is effectively acting as Brotzu's political commissar."