Emilia-Romagna: 3 million to upgrade pharmacies, health services closer to citizens
Emilia-Romagna allocates 3 million euros to expand the services offered by pharmacies. The goal is to transform them into proximity health garrisons
A total of 3 million euros have been allocated by the Emilia-Romagna Region to expand the services offered by local pharmacies. The goal, as Health Policies Councillor Raffaele Donini explains, is to transform pharmacies into true proximity health garrisons, capable of offering a wider range of services and lightening the load on hospitals. This is an important step with the aim of boosting health care closer to citizens.
More than drugs: diagnosis and treatment support
Emilia-Romagna’s pharmacies, which will soon reach the number of 1,450, will thus have more than just the task of providing drugs and vaccines. In fact, they will be able to perform examinations such as electrocardiograms and pressure holters, support patients in the management of chronic therapies and taking antibiotics, and provide telemedicine services. A development made possible in part by an agreement signed in 2023 between the region and pharmacy trade associations.
Donini: “Enhancing the value of pharmacies and reducing waiting lists”
“This investment,” Donini stresses, ”aims to expand the proximity health service, not only for the dispensing of medicines, but also for therapeutic adherence and access to telemedicine. Pharmacies are places we want to enhance more and more, also to reduce waiting lists for low-complexity diagnostic tests.”
Satisfaction, but also concern about staffing
The initiative has been welcomed by pharmacist associations, such as Federfarma Emilia-Romagna, Assofarm Emilia-Romagna and Farmacieunite Emilia-Romagna. However, the issue of staffing is raised: finding and hiring pharmacists capable of performing the new examinations and following up on additional services could be a challenge.
A step toward a more efficient and accessible health care system
Despite the difficulties to be faced, the expansion of services offered by pharmacies represents a significant step toward a more efficient and accessible health care system for the citizens of Emilia-Romagna. The goal is to bring health services closer and closer to citizens, guaranteeing them quality and timely care, while easing the workload on hospitals.
A model to be replicated?
The Emilia-Romagna project represents an interesting model that could be replicated in other regions of Italy. Indeed, the enhancement of pharmacies as proximity health care garrisons could help improve the efficiency of the national health care system as a whole.
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