Tumors, Airo: Recovery funds for new radical change technologies

“A radical change of pace towards equity of treatment on the national territory”. The Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (Airo) welcomes with “great satisfaction” the sources provided by the Recovery Plan for the digital modernization of the technological park in Italian hospitals. In the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Pnrr), an investment of 1.19 billion euros is foreseen for the purchase by the end of 2024 of 3,133 new large equipment with high technological content (CT scan, magnetic resonances, linear accelerators, radiological system fixed, angiographs, gamma cameras, gamma cameras / CT scans, mammograms, echotomographs). “We are very satisfied that the Pnrr includes investment in technological and digital modernization, a key element of modern medicine – declares the president of Airo Vittorio Donato, head of the Oncology and Specialized Medicine Department, director of the Radiotherapy Division, Ao San Camillo Forlanini of Rome – and above all that the areas of interest have been diversified, taking into consideration not only the diagnostic equipment, but also the machinery for oncological radiotherapy. After many years we are faced with a broad-spectrum technological modernization project on the national territory , which is not linked to the requests of individual hospitals and which seeks to organize the updating of equipment in an organic and rational way “. A turning point that “tends towards an important objective to be pursued as soon as possible: to make the most up-to-date equipment available, in a fair way throughout the country, to ensure the best radiotherapy treatment for patients, in the same way as what already happens with innovative oncological drugs”. The theme was at the center of a round table organized today by the National Cultural Association ‘Giuseppe Dossetti: values ​​- Protection and development of rights’, to listen to the reflections, opinions and proposals of the institutions and to give a voice to the stakeholders in the chain of stakeholders on ‘obsolescence of the national health technology park. “The Giuseppe Dossetti Association, strongly committed to the issue of the age of the technology park since 2017 – says Vittorio Sironi, expert in the history of medicine of the cultural association – wants to start working immediately with institutions, clarifying the numbers and methods of assigning the machinery on the ter ritory and beginning to lay the foundations for long-term future planning, beyond 2024 indicated by the NRP. The Recovery Plan is a historic opportunity to renew the technological park of structures and hospitals, but an innovative approach will be required – he underlines – which focuses on investment planning, High Technology Assessment (Hta), professionalism, interdisciplinarity and strategic vision of industrial policy The debate – introduced by Donato, also head of the HTA Department of the Scientific Committee of the Dossetti Association – was attended by the National Radiological Area Syndicate (Snr), engaged in the protection of the professional specificities of the radiological area (radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, diagnostics for images and neuroradiology). “The investment envisaged by the NRP in the radiological area is very significant, with numbers that have been largely foreseen – comments Corrado Bibbolino, Snr – even if they probably need a minimum adjustment, also in relation to what has been done in recent months by the Regions and the Consip with l ‘purchase of high-tech and traditional radiology machines “. “Other important issues – he remarks – are the allocation of this equipment and how to use it, that is to have sufficient trained medical personnel available to make the most of it. Newly graduated radiologists are certainly able to use the most modern equipment, but it is necessary to hire them: in Italian hospitals there is a problem of generational turnover, with an average age of medical staff of 57, even in the radiological field. In recent years, various competitions have been held, but the public sector is suffering in particular, also because young people are attracted to the private market. This is an important aspect to consider in the near future – reports Bibbolino – because having an updated fleet of cars without medical personnel to make the most of it is like having a custom-built car without an experienced driver who can take it to the track “.