Lazio implements new plan to reduce emergency room overcrowding

Lazio President Francesco Rocca has announced a new regional healthcare plan designed to combat overcrowding in emergency rooms and eliminate long waits for patients on stretchers. The strategy shifts from merely managing queues to addressing structural causes, such as slow patient transfers and unavailable hospital beds.

A key component of the plan is the creation of a 24-hour hospital operational center known as “Toh” (Team Operativo ospedaliero). This unit will monitor hospital beds in real time to ensure efficient reassignment. New mandates include requiring hospitals to have a dedicated supply of stretchers and ensuring that at least 60% of emergency room admissions are completed by 2:00 PM.

The plan also requires private accredited healthcare facilities to assist by accepting direct transfers from public emergency rooms, covering at least 95% of their availability. Additionally, the initiative aims to improve coordination during large-scale events, such as matches at the Stadio Olimpico, to prevent non-urgent medical incidents from clogging the regional emergency network.