The Ministry of Health has announced a significant expansion of telemedicine and home care in Italy, thanks to the addition of 750 million euros from the reallocation of Mission 6 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), recently approved by the European Union.
This redistribution of funds aims to strengthen telemedicine services, focusing on care for the most vulnerable groups of the population, such as the elderly and the chronically ill.
The target by 2025 is to support 300,000 people through telemedicine, a significant increase on the initial target of 200,000. Telemedicine offers various solutions, including online medical consultations, remote assistance and remote monitoring, allowing fast, flexible access to healthcare.
This reshaping aims to improve access to care, especially for those living in remote areas or who have difficulty travelling. The telemedicine approach could lead to more efficient management of healthcare resources, with potential cost reductions.
Alongside the increase in funding for telemedicine and home care, the reshaping of Mission 6 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) also included provisions on digitalisation and technology investment in the healthcare sector. These changes were aimed directly at optimising the rollout of advanced tools and at overcoming the challenges linked to the rising costs of resources, with the aim of further improving the range of healthcare services on offer and reducing current problems.
This step is significant support for the Italian healthcare system, improving access and making such services available to a greater number of citizens.
Official source: PNRR, Schillaci: more funding for telemedicine and home care (salute.gov.it)
