Italian Health Minister Orazio Schillaci advances Community House reform

At the Innovation Festival in Venice, Health Minister Orazio Schillaci said the government will find a workable solution for the "Case di Comunità" (Community Houses) that are central to Italy’s territorial medicine reform. He pledged to maintain trust with patients while integrating family doctors into these local health hubs.

The reform is funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) with about €2 billion earmarked for constructing 1,715 Community Houses by 2026. As of the latest monitoring, 781 sites have at least one active service and 66 fully meet the mandatory standards for medical and nursing staffing.

Experts warn that without sufficient personnel, clear contracts and reliable operating procedures, the structures risk becoming merely buildings without effective care. The key remaining issue is ensuring continuous medical presence and coordinated primary‑care services to reduce unnecessary emergency department visits and improve care for vulnerable citizens.