Innovating Italy's healthcare heritage: the value of integrated governance

Italy has over 40 million square metres of healthcare infrastructure, accounting for more than 15% of national healthcare expenditure. This is a significant figure, reflecting both the complexity and the potential of a widespread, diverse and strategic asset for the country's health. 

This challenge requires not only a focus on cost reduction but, above all, a value-oriented vision: building, redeveloping and optimising what already exists through integrated governance. 

At the conference ‘Excellence in Emilia-Romagna – Innovation, People and Territories’, promoted by Il Resto del Carlino and QN – Quotidiano Nazionale in partnership with Rekeep and Legacoop Emilia-Romagna, eFM presented its approach to bringing together space, service and data to build value in healthcare settings. 

‘It's easy to say “let's cut spending”,’ said Marco Ingrillì, Senior Manager at eFM and speaker at the event, ‘but it's much more difficult to generate value from a cost that we incur every year anyway. The point is not to reduce, but to enhance by building, upgrading and optimising what we have, through integrated governance capable of aligning objectives and responsibilities.’ 

The topic of public-private collaboration was the focus of the panel discussion entitled “Healthcare and sustainability: innovation, efficiency and environmental responsibility”, moderated by Monica Raschi, with the participation of Alessandro Miuccio (Business Director at Rekeep) and Camilla Senzani (Operations Director for Hospital Services). 

‘Collaboration between the public and private sectors is key to improving the efficiency of healthcare facilities and services,’ said Miuccio. ‘The healthcare sector is responsible for a significant share of global emissions, but solutions exist and involve innovation and new management models such as integrated facility management. Often overlooked in the debate on sustainability, facility management can offer – especially in the healthcare sector – a real and measurable contribution in terms of efficiency and environmental responsibility.’ 

At the heart of this paradigm shift is the transition from a service model to a performance model based on data governance. 

Collecting, integrating and analysing data on buildings, facilities, spaces, energy consumption and service quality means transforming information into operational value: shared indicators, faster decisions, stronger partnerships between customer and supplier. 

This approach makes it possible to measure the real impact of actions in terms of efficiency, sustainability and well-being for users and operators. 

As Ingrillì points out, Data is now the most abundant resource we have: the point is not to collect it, but to know how to use it. Even simple information – such as energy consumption or staff movement flows – can become tools for redesigning processes and improving productivity, if analysed in an integrated and strategic way.’ 

eFM proposes a vision of digital governance that transforms healthcare assets from a cost centre into a driver of sustainable innovation. 

Through collaboration between public and private actors, data integration and a people-centric approach, it is possible to build a more efficient and resilient healthcare ecosystem capable of generating value for the community.