L‘European Institute of Oncology and the Monzino Cardiology Center publish the respective Social Reports 2020, which outline the high profile of social responsibility of both centers in the Covid 19 era. For the two hospitals of the IEO Group, sustainability means first of all guaranteeing the best treatment path for all patients at all times, regardless from exceeding the limits of benefits that can be financed by the regional health system and the timing of reimbursements.
Despite the decrease in clinical activity due to restrictive measures, such as the blocking or staggering of accesses to outpatient visits and hospitalizations for deferrable services, also by virtue of its role as an oncological hub, IEO however, it has exceeded the regional ceiling and has decided to anticipate the related costs for the benefit of its patients to ensure their continuity in diagnostics, therapy and care. He therefore committed an amount equal to approximately 6.9 million euros for outpatient and hospitalization services and over 2.4 million euros for antiblastic drugs. Furthermore IEO has intended one million euros to allow their patients to benefit from the best outcomes due to robotic surgery: Of the 1,101 procedures performed with robotic technique, 513 were performed using their own resources IEO.
This economic commitment was sustained despite the decline in revenues due to the reduction in clinical activity and despite the extraordinary use of resources to adapt the Institute to safety criteria and to keep it a Covid-safe Center for the protection of cancer patients. IEO has proceeded on its own to purchase PPE, specific services and equipment, as well as to perform and process swabs and serological tests carried out on patients and staff with a financial investment equal to approximately 2 million euros. The pandemic has not however stopped the scientific research, in which IEO has invested over 25 million euros and that he produced 734 publications, reaching an impact factor of 5264. In parallel with continued investment in cutting-edge technologies, and the Institute. In 2020 they started real estate projects for over 13 million and 250 thousand euros including the construction site for the Proton Center, the new Department of Pathological Anatomy, the construction site for the expansion of the Solvent Department, ordinary activity. The design phase of IEO 3 also continued, the new structure that will be built between the two existing buildings, IEO1 and IEO2, and will be interconnected to them. The design took place always thinking about the balance between man and the environment with which IEO was conceived 27 years ago. For this reason, in agreement with the Municipality of Milan and the Park manager, the Institute has carried out forestation works in the Ticinello Park, part of the Agricultural Park, as compensation for the environmental impact of the new buildings. The intervention has interested beyond 3.5 hectares with the planting of 2,260 trees and shrubs and 81 trees, with an absorption of 509 tons of CO2 in 25 years.
The Monzino
Even the Monzino, despite a very complex financial year, he did not give up on taking care of his patients in the best possible way, anticipating them over € 1 million in outpatient and hospitalization services in excess of the ceiling available for the activity under the agreement.
2020 was a year in which Monzino deployed the maximum of its specialist skills and organizational skills at the service of the NHS to deal with the Covid emergency.
At different stages that have characterized the evolution of the pandemic, the operation of the structure has been constantly innovated to accommodate patients and maximum safety operators and to support the hospital setting whose bid was centered on the need to reserve beds for patients suffering by Covid. One of the most significant initiatives undertaken has been adhering to the role of cardiovascular reference Hub for Lombardy, pledging to be Covid-safe to ensure emergency activities / urgency and the election can not be postponed; the Emergency Department at this Monzino, whose activities could not be suspended, was protected with important steps and high cost, representing a gateway to the risk of infection. the Center has also prepared a special area for Covid able to treat patients with comorbid cardiovascular. The HUB role resulted in 700 operations on patients from across the region. In parallel, during peak periods Monzino the pandemic has also taken care of, in an area ad hoc, 180-Covid 19 patients with cardiovascular disease, coming to have also admitted up to 20 simultaneously. They were in fact open and maintained over time two channels, each with their own separate paths, and not for Covid Covid patients. performance related to heart attacks and other acute syndromes were first guaranteed for patients both Covid-19 positive and negative, and it is also provided for the continuity of care of patients already in load to Monzino, limiting the risk of cross transmissibility between positive and negative patients . To cope with the costs and the Covid investment, has Monzino committed about 1.9 million euros, mostly own funds. L’research, where more than 7 million Euros have been invested, He has had a strong increase during the pandemic, producing 327 scientific publications they have achieved an impact factor of 2068. At the same time, in addition to the expansion of the technological park that makes the current Imaging Department one of the most advanced in Europe, the development of the Project has not stopped Monzino 3, which plans to build a new building with 5 floors above ground to expand and rationalize the existing spaces, with an investment of over 17 million euros.
“The IEO 2020 Social Report highlights in a troubled and unforgettable year for healthcare and for the whole of society, the role that IEO has had for our country and in particular for cancer patients, who have lived and are living the triple fear of the virus, of the greater fragility caused by tumor disease and of being neglected by a medicine 100% committed to fighting the pandemic. In this scenario, we are even more proud to be the first cancer center in Italy and eleventh in the world in the Newsweek weekly ranking “Wolrd’s Best Specialized Hospitals” comments Carlo Cimbri, President of the Board of Directors of the European Institute of Oncology.
“The epochal challenge of the pandemic made us understand even better our value. We are the only IRCCS mono specialist cardiology in the country and this year we have made even more so because the high specialization and the interaction between research and care are our strengths. So how is our strength the original spirit of welcome with which the Monzino was born 40 years ago as an act of social solidarity with the poor. These uniqueness we have earned, like the IEO, the first place in the “World’s Best Specialized Hospital” in cardiology and in the same way we are proud and honored “concludes Carlo Buora, Chairman of the Monzino Cardiology Center Board of Directors.