Health services cut by 1.9 percent in three years
The number of public health facilities in Italy dropped by 1.9 percent between 2008 and 2011, according to a Ministry of Health report released this week.
While the figures show an overall drop in health services during the first three years of the economic crisis, the Ministry of Health said some areas had seen improvement.
Rehabilitation services jumped by 6.6 percent in the public health system and were up by 0.2 percent in private clinics, between 2008 and 2011, the ministry said.
During the same period services for residents - specifically those who are not independent and do not have assistance at home - were increased by 1.8 percent by the health authorities and shot up by 7.8 percent in the private sector.
Outpatients services also saw a slight increase in the public healthcare system, of 0.1 percent in the public sector, but were down by 1.5 percent in private healthcare.
The Ministry of Health report also charted the availability of hospital beds, with four per thousand residents nationally in 2011.
Southern Molise came top with 4.7, while the central region of Umbria had just 3.5 and Campania, in southern Italy, coming last with 3.4 beds for every thousand potential patients.
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While the figures show an overall drop in health services during the first three years of the economic crisis, the Ministry of Health said some areas had seen improvement.
Rehabilitation services jumped by 6.6 percent in the public health system and were up by 0.2 percent in private clinics, between 2008 and 2011, the ministry said.
During the same period services for residents - specifically those who are not independent and do not have assistance at home - were increased by 1.8 percent by the health authorities and shot up by 7.8 percent in the private sector.
Outpatients services also saw a slight increase in the public healthcare system, of 0.1 percent in the public sector, but were down by 1.5 percent in private healthcare.
The Ministry of Health report also charted the availability of hospital beds, with four per thousand residents nationally in 2011.
Southern Molise came top with 4.7, while the central region of Umbria had just 3.5 and Campania, in southern Italy, coming last with 3.4 beds for every thousand potential patients.
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