Second last in the EU-14 for efficiency and appropriateness of the healthcare offer, on a par with Portugal and just one step above Greece, in a ranking that sees Sweden in the lead with double the votes of Italy. While "at home" Emilia Romagna and then Lombardy are at the top of the ranking with Campania and Calabria which vice versa continue to sink in the national ranking in an authentic do-it-yourself health made in Italy. Time for votes, and not exactly the best ones, for Italian public health.
Contested by Minister Beatrice Lorenzin - "unfair negative classifications", she protests - the NHS report card comes this time from the "Meridiano Sanità" report, prepared by The European House-Ambrosetti, presented yesterday in Rome The report documents a significant gap between us and the 'Europe - the "14" one - in terms of health services and the ability to respond to the health needs of the patients. If in terms of the quality of the offer we are in line with Europe and in terms of the state of health we can even still boast above-average performance, it is in terms of services that the NHS lags behind in the overall assessment. The average index of the report sees us with 4.7 points, together with Portugal, with Greece at 3.5; while in the lead are Sweden (84), 
the Netherlands (7.2) and Finland (6.5).
This, however, while the NHS has a share of GDP of 6.9% against an EU average of 74 and the average expenditure per inhabitant, between public and private, is 2,951 euros against 3,774, at purchasing power parity. The recipe? Invest much more in health care, make room for prevention, especially since, according to estimates, every euro invested in prevention generates 2.9 euros - almost three times as much - in savings for therapeutic and rehabilitation services, with the aging of the population which causes chronicity and non self-sufficiency to explode.
Another exposed nerve of the NHS, the Ambrosetti report recalls once again, is the usual loose cannon of the strong differences that characterize the "doing health care" in Italy at a regional level. With the South remaining at the bottom of the national ranking: overall worse than all respectively Campania, Calabria, Sicily and Puglia. And with the highest marks first Emilia Romagna, then in order Lombardy, Trentino Alto Adige, Tuscany and Piedmont. To say, Emilia Romagna has totaled a score that is almost equal to 65% more than Campania. Two Italys apart, two opposite healthcare systems.
11/16/2016 – mywelfare Source Il Sole 24ORE
Related news: Final report
