Over 1.5 million employees, worth 6.5% of gross domestic product DRIVING FOR THE ECONOMY Out of a thousand euros of production, industry invests over 30 in research against an average of manufacturing that is just close to 6 euros
Robert Turn
ROME
There is a star of the first magnitude that few know in the firmament of the Italian economy: it is the health supply chain, and it has the numbers of a real star. It produces 6.5% of the entire national production and boasts a "product per employee" that exceeds the national average by 6.4%. With one million and 513 thousand employees, it is the fourth force for employment. It has an added value at basic prices which is worth 6.7% of the total in the country and an added value at constant prices which from 2004 to 2006 grew by 6.4% against the Italian average of 1.9. The added value per employee is 10% above the national average. And if that were not enough, between direct and induced value added, it produces wealth equal to 12.5% of the total Italy, against 11.1% in 2004. An expanding and top power: it is between third and fourth place in the ranking of businesses.
We judge the Healthcare of Italy, rightly or wrongly, for its services, when there are any, for the delays in services, for its costs and for the deficits of a handful of six Regions above all, these days also for the division of parties. But, behind the wall of distrust and before the disservices, there is a vital production reality of primary importance. A growing universe that in other countries, where one invests without waste, gives high profits and becomes an export business. And, first of all, create health. From the production to the trade of drugs and medical devices, from scientific research to hospital and outpatient services, from orthopedic appliances to spa services, from laboratories to dental prostheses. An often qualified and hi-tech reality, with widespread and respectable professionalism and excellence.
This is the "Health supply chain" that emerges from the second report (2004-2006) of Confindustria, edited by Professor Nicola Quirino, professor of public finance at the Luiss in Rome. A universe, the Italian health supply chain, which despite the extreme poverty of investments in research, has another enviable record: in the R&D-production ratio it has the highest value among all sectors of our economy. So much so that, it is estimated, out of a thousand euros of production, the health industry spends (invests) more than 30 euros in research. The average of the manufacturing industry is just close to 6 euros.
But still on the subject of comparisons, the Confindustria study lists other firsts, which then explain how much, and how, healthcare companies represent a potential driving force for development for our economy. They have more workers than transport and communications, hotels and restaurants and agriculture, the metallurgical industry and banking and insurance, preceded only by real estate and business services, commerce, construction and education. Employed, moreover, who are employees at 86%. The same value added at constant prices achieved by the supply chain from 2004 to 2006 grew by 4.5%, against the 1.9% of the national average: in industry in the strict sense it increased by 0.6%, in construction by 2.4% , in trade of 4.4%, for credit and insurance of 3.4% and in other services of 2.5.
Big numbers and a formidable development potential for the future. However, this is the other side of the research coin, it must measure itself against the structural and systemic conditions of our National Health Service. In Italy more is spent on direct services (private spending slows down
