Physiotherapy Obstacles: Healthcare That Doesn’t Work
- What began as a recovery plan following a fall quickly turned into a frustrating bureaucratic journey for Ada Gobbo, a 90-year-old resident of Lomazzo, Italy.Her family's experience, as...
- Doctors and orthopedists recommended conservative treatment, including physiotherapy, to aid in Ada's recovery.
- Though, upon attempting to schedule the physiotherapy sessions at the ASST (Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale) headquarters in Lomazzo, the family encountered critically important obstacles.
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The Obstacle Course of Care
What began as a recovery plan following a fall quickly turned into a frustrating bureaucratic journey for Ada Gobbo, a 90-year-old resident of Lomazzo, Italy.Her family’s experience, as shared by her son-in-law Silvio Coggiola – a local political figure and secretary of the Fdi Lomazzese club – highlights the challenges elderly patients face when attempting to access prescribed healthcare services. The situation unfolded this past May, following fractures sustained in an accidental fall.
Doctors and orthopedists recommended conservative treatment, including physiotherapy, to aid in Ada’s recovery. The family promptly contacted the Regional Reservation Center and secured a physiotherapy appointment at a facility in milan, recognizing the crucial role physiotherapy would play in her rehabilitation.
Bureaucratic Roadblocks and Repeated Referrals
Though, upon attempting to schedule the physiotherapy sessions at the ASST (Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale) headquarters in Lomazzo, the family encountered critically important obstacles. “Technical and bureaucratic problems” prevented Ada from being placed on a waiting list for the necessary treatment. The family was then advised to obtain a new prescription with a 10-day priority, a suggestion Coggiola found particularly arduous given Ada’s age, physical limitations, and cognitive challenges.
The process became increasingly convoluted when the Lomazzo ASST directed the family to the ASST Valle Olona in Saronno to request a physiatric visit, only to be redirected back to the Lomazzo Ats Insubria headquarters. This cycle of referrals underscored a systemic issue, as Coggiola expressed a growing concern that the healthcare institution was unable to deliver timely and accessible care.
A System Failing Its Elders?
Coggiola voiced his frustration, stating, “The feeling is that the health organization is not able to ensure the service in the prescribed and expected times and dose not want to attest to it.” he emphasized the impracticality of expecting a 90-year-old with limited mobility to navigate multiple hospital visits across the lombardy region.
Fortunately, a recent meeting between the family and ASST managers, held in early August, appears to have resolved the immediate issue, unlocking access to the needed care. Though, the incident raises broader questions about the accessibility of healthcare for the elderly and the need for streamlined processes.