Breaking down barriers in hospital services

The Azienda Local Health Authority (Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale, or AUSL) of Reggio Emilia is the merger of six small Local Health Units (Unità Sanitarie Locali, or USL). The Azienda USL of Reggio Emilia is the statutory provider of health and social care in the province of Reggio Emilia in the central North of Italy. The territory covered by AUSL is the Province of Reggio Emilia, which lies at the geographical centre of the Emilia Romagna Region and is one of Italy’s most highly industrialised areas. The Province is divided into 45 municipalities and has a population of approx 456,000 people over an area of 2,291 square kilometres including the hills of the Appennines and the plain of the Po Valley. The Azienda USL of Reggio Emilia has approximately 3,500 employees, of which 469 are health care professionals, working in six health districts, and it includes the “Presidio Ospedaliero,” a five-hospital complex. AUSL activities are organised into departments: eight for territorial activities, nine for hospital activities; each department has a manager who is responsible for the level of quality of the services provided. Since the Azienda USL of Reggio Emilia came into being, the project of organisational development has taken the Total Quality Management model as its point of reference.

Dr. Corrado RUOZI
Tel.: +39-055 223 352 02, Fax: +39-055 223 353 80, email: corrado.ruozi@ausl.re.it

Dr. Andrea GIGLIOBIANCO
Tel: +39-055-228 382 59, email: antonio.chiarenza@ausl.re.it