Federico Conforto MD

What is the real cost of closing a #hospital? In some cases, it may be lives. A new study published in the Journal of #Health Economics finds that hospital closures in Italy led to a 10% increase in in-hospital mortality from heart attacks, along with longer patient stays. The research — by Simone Ghislandi (DONDENA, Bocconi), Anna-Theresa Renner (TU Wien) and Nirosha Elsem Varghese (CERGAS, Bocconi) — analyzes data on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients between 2008 and 2015. The main cause? Longer travel times to hospitals. When local hospitals are shut down without adequate planning, patients — particularly in #emergency conditions — face delays that can cost them their lives. “Our study shows that closures had a significant negative impact on patients’ health, especially for heart attack cases. Increased travel time is the key driver behind higher in-hospital mortality,” explains Simone Ghislandi, Associate Professor of Health Economics at Bocconi. The study also finds that older adults, women and patients in southern Italy suffered more from closures, highlighting the link between geographic inequality and health outcomes. As countries across Europe consider healthcare reforms and cost-saving measures, this research raises a critical point: rationalizing hospital networks cannot come at the expense of timely access to care. “Infrastructure, geography and demographics matter,” Ghislandi concludes. “Efficiency cannot ignore equity.” 👉 To read more about this topic: https://lnkd.in/dVSJDU6a

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WE in ACTION 2025 has officially started, a program dedicated to melanoma prevention. The day highlighted two key pillars in the fight against this disease: the critical importance of early diagnosis and the remarkable progress of research, which is continuously expanding therapeutic perspectives. Today, melanoma can be managed with increasingly effective interventions-provided it is identified promptly. The evidence is clear: while individual vigilance is essential, collective engagement -of families, healthcare professionals, and researchers- is what truly strengthens outcomes. Each stakeholder has a distinct and indispensable role in reducing the burden of melanoma. Research efforts are ongoing, and with the contribution of the entire community, we can move toward a future marked by earlier detection, more effective treatments, and improved patient survival. https://lnkd.in/dVV4DbrX #Teamwork #Melanoma #Prevention #Research

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The EFN Secretary General, in his keynote address to key policymakers and stakeholders in the Italian Senate, firmly expressed the need to develop EU framework legislation on Safe Staffing Levels (SSL) for nurses , with stipulated nurse-to-patient ratios, to be developed and implemented at the national level. As a matter of Occupational Safety and Health, SSL represent the most concrete and tangible solution to improve retention of nurses and ensure patients safety! EFN recently published a research paper on this topic: https://shorturl.at/cVmw8. #EFN #Safestaffinglevels #Nurses #Recruitment #Retention #Patients #Safety

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