ROME (ITALPRESS) – Digitization is revolutionizing our country’s health care system. To ensure a truly effective impact, careful and competent management that places the person being cared for at the center and provides adequate training for healthcare professionals is essential. These were the findings of a conference held last Friday in Rome at the Library of the Senate of the Republic ‘Giovanni Spadolinì. The event, organized by the National Federation of the Orders of Medical Radiology Health Technicians and Technical, Rehabilitation and Preventive Health Professions (Fno Tsrm and Pstrp), promoted proactive reflection on the challenges and opportunities offered by the digital transition in healthcare.’We believe it is essential to discuss how to ensure that technological innovation in health care proceeds while respecting the rights of citizens and the ethical principles that guide our professions, as well evidenced by the new codes of ethics recently approved by our National Council,’ commented Teresa Calandra, President of the National Federation, who added, ‘Digitization represents an epoch-making turning point that is also transforming the way health care services are delivered, improving their efficiency and accessibility, as well as the overall quality of care. However, this change brings with it new challenges, both from the point of view of personal data protection and scientific and professional responsibilities.The start of the digital transition in public bodies and the impact of digitization on health care professionals, including those in freelance practice, were central themes of the debate, with an eye toward future developments. That of digital is a real revolution, thanks in part to the investments that, in this area, are growing. However, strong territorial inequalities remain: data from NetConsulting Cube – from last June – show that the average expenditure on digital health is 76.4 euros per inhabitant, with a difference of more than 50 percent between the regions of northern and southern Italy.’Digitization in health care is a great opportunity for the NHS, but it requires the active involvement of all the actors who are part of it. The lack of digital skills among health professionals is a significant obstacle to the adoption of these technologies, in addition to which there is a fragmented regional management of health careà thus Undersecretary for Health, Marcello Gemmato, speaking at the Fno Tsrm and Pstrp conference, who stressed that the health care system, thanks to digital, aspires to become more efficient, equitable and sustainable, however ‘to do this we need to invest in the skills of health professionals, providing them with tools and skills to improve the quality of care, optimize the organization of work and ensure equitable access to digital health services. With everyone’s help, it will be possible to build a modern, integrated system capable of offering quality services to all citizens’.The Fno Tsrm and Pstrp has launched a series of initiatives aimed at facilitating the adoption of digital tools by health professionals, guaranteeing specific training, support in the use of the new platforms, and a path of progressive integration with the ESF (Electronic Health Record and other national digital systems). In particular, the National Federation has adopted the Three-Year Digital Transition Plan-as explained by Alessandro Iala, consultant to the National Federation for Digital Transition-a document that lays the foundations for a concrete and sustainable evolution in terms of digital health, in full accordance with the directives and recommendations of the Agency for Digital Italy (AgID), which not only aspires to implement new technologies, but also aims to rethink processes with a view to efficiency, interoperability and accessibility of services for professionals and citizens.With reference to digital transformation, Alessandra Pieroni, from AgID’s Innovation and Digital Transition Directorate, also spoke, who stressed the importance of Public Digital Infrastructure (IPD) for the modernization and efficiency of public and private services, ensuring broad, secure and interoperable access. Through the use of shared digital systems, this Infrastructure facilitates the creation of innovative processes and advanced PA services, reducing fragmentation and redundancy. Acting as digital ‘building blocks,’ these infrastructures enable large-scale digital transformation, fostering technology integration and promoting governance that is more agile, effective and accessible to citizens and businesses.In this context, special attention has been paid to the protection of personal data. That is, sensitive data, the respect for whose confidentiality is not a mere bureaucratic fulfillment, but an ethical and professional principle at the basis of healthcare practice, as it is already integrated in the recently approved codes of ethics, as Saverio Colabianchi, DPO of the National Federation, pointed out. Digitization imposes new responsibilities, but strengthens the role of the professional in protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.This concept was also confirmed by Silvia Melchionna of the Department of Public Liberties and Health of the Garante per la protezione dei dati personali (GPDP), who spoke at the study day and emphasized that data protection is not an obstacle to the digitization of the healthcare system and services, provided it is integrated from the initial design stages, according to the principle of privacy by design, an approach that allows for the development of secure and efficient digital infrastructures, ensuring confidentiality and regulatory compliance without compromising the innovation and accessibility of services.In light of these considerations, scientific research assumes a central role, focusing on the integration of digital technologies in care pathways, and the assessment of the impact of digital health in terms of effectiveness and sustainability, as well as the development of new metrics to measure health care innovation, providing data on the cost-effectiveness and quality of new care modalities.Introducing the discussion was the President of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rocco Bellantone, who emphasized ISS’s leading role in research on artificial intelligence and digitization, with an ongoing commitment to data transparency and training of professionals. Bellantone emphasized the need for collective action and a shared vision to overcome resistance, ensure an adequate regulatory framework and promote transparency of processes, as well as the use of synthetic data in research to address privacy limitations precisely in research.According to Giuseppe Greco, Professor at the University of Florence who spoke at the event, “Research on the Tsrm and Pstrp professions is part of the broader evolutionary challenge outlined in the document approved by the National Federation on July 29, 2023. This text invites health care professionals to consciously reflect on their role in the health care system, emphasizing the need for ever closer integration between the different disciplines and professions. At the same time, it reiterates the importance of clearly defining the specific roles and models of caretaking for each profession, avoiding overlap and fostering effective collaboration. Also central is the view that health professions cannot be defined solely by the services they provide, but rather must respond to the health needs of the population and evolve accordingly. Achieving these goals necessarily comes through digital innovation, the impact of which is now inescapable for the future of healthcare. Precisely the relationship between digitization and social, scientific and professional responsibilities is the central theme of today’s day of reflection.”Guglielmo Bonaccorsi, Stefano Durante, and Martina Giusti presented the state of the art of three projects of the Sapis study center of the Fno Tsrm and Pstrp, respectively the observatory on Tsrm and Pstrp professions and territory, the observatory on Tsrm and Pstrp professions in IRCCSs (SPIRLab), and the Frontiers special issue that, following the Spring colloquium in May 2024, will provide bibliographic resources on the contribution of health professions in ensuring public health.Finally, the day, with talks by Fno Tsrm and Pstrp consultants Marco Montes and Roberto Dezio-from the freelance group-turned its gaze to freelancers, who represent about 30 percent of Tsrm and Pstrp members, highlighting the need to manage the digital transition with appropriate tools. Self-employed health professionals, must be able to face this change starting with concrete guarantees that recognize their role and incentivize their contribution within the NHS. In this scenario, the National Federation has undertaken several activities including the updating of the ATECO codes of the Tsrm and Pstrp professions, the establishment of the joint table with the FNOMCeO, the Societies among professionals, and the start of work on the social security fund, which represent the fundamental pillars of an organic and structured strategy, with the aim of guaranteeing the success of the digital transformation, enhancing the work of self-employed professionals, ensuring them greater protections and opportunities.Technological innovation is not an end, but a tool to improve the quality of care and optimize resources. From the conference emerged with the need for greater involvement of the health professions in decision-making processes on digitization, so that new technologies really respond to the needs of patients and operators, to ensure a more equitable, efficient and humane health care system, in which innovation goes hand in hand with ethics and the care relationship.- photo press office FNO TSRM AND PSTRP -(ITALPRESS).
