To reduce healthcare spending, the Regions have patchily implemented many projects ranging from energy saving, to anti-waste tickets for those who do not show up for a booked visit or do not collect reports, from the establishment of the ward pharmacist with savings of the 40% on the costs of medicines, to new management of insurance policies. Also cut postage with savings up to 92%. The use of hi-tech proves to be important in reducing costs: telemedicine for monitoring chronic patients, bureaucratic simplification for sending reports online, administrative simplification for the management of online purchases and tenders and integration of data such as the online medical record. The path followed in the commissioned Regions is identical which, by rationalizing expenditure on medicines, personnel, beds, goods and services, are reaping the first results with savings such as 300 million euros in Sicily and 50 million in Molise.
Il Sole 24 Ore Pag.7 – 12/10/2009
