Coordinator research program Learning Health System; endowed professor 'Transparency in healthcare from a patient perspective', Tranzo, Tilburg University, the Netherlands
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The role of general practices for monitoring and protecting the environment and health. results and proposals of the Italian project aimed at creating an “Italian Network of Sentinel Physicians for the Environment” (Rimsa) within an international...
Lauriola, P., Pegoraro, S., Serafini, A., Murgia, V., Ciaula, A.D., Tommasi, F. de, Rossi, A., Santamaria, M., Toffol, G., Romizi, R., Vinci, E., Behbod, B., Zeka, A., Verheij, R., Leonardi, G. The role of general practices for monitoring and protecting the environment and health. results and proposals of the Italian project aimed at creating an “Italian Network of Sentinel Physicians for the Environment” (Rimsa) within an international perspective. Journal of Family Medicine & Community Health: 2018, 5(5), p. Art. nr. 1160.
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Background
Health effects due to the environment are among the most challenging concerns faced by our future. In particular global climate changes. However, the connection between the environment and human health as part of clinician’s activities is rather undeveloped.
Methods and results
We performed a literature review, finding that many Sentinel Physician Networks have been developed, but very few have dealt with environmental health issues, and almost none have considered the
opportunities of targeting Family Doctors (FDs).
Beginning with the Italian context, we are committed to developing a structured system, named RIMSA – Rete Italiana Medici Sentinella per l’Ambiente – (Sentinel Physicians for the Environment) as a pilot experience. Moreover, we would like to share our experience to raise interest of this model internationally. The aim is to monitor the effects of critical environmental public health issues, help raise awareness of environmental health risks among doctors, patients, and the general public, and learn how to report sentinel diagnoses or critical situations. We believe FDs can play an important role in connecting global concerns with local actions.
The project has already made significant strides; three 2-day courses have been staged, training 61 FDs from across Italy; a website, a Moodle platform and an online survey have been implemented and the Sentinel Physicians for the Environment (SPE) Manual is currently being compiled. Other actions have been planned to consolidate and develop the project; the training process should be sustained and disseminated and a standard plan for reporting an environmental health concern is underway. This will represent the foundation for setting up the overall SPE network in Italy and possibly in connection with other Sentinel Practitioners Networks in Europe and globally.
Health effects due to the environment are among the most challenging concerns faced by our future. In particular global climate changes. However, the connection between the environment and human health as part of clinician’s activities is rather undeveloped.
Methods and results
We performed a literature review, finding that many Sentinel Physician Networks have been developed, but very few have dealt with environmental health issues, and almost none have considered the
opportunities of targeting Family Doctors (FDs).
Beginning with the Italian context, we are committed to developing a structured system, named RIMSA – Rete Italiana Medici Sentinella per l’Ambiente – (Sentinel Physicians for the Environment) as a pilot experience. Moreover, we would like to share our experience to raise interest of this model internationally. The aim is to monitor the effects of critical environmental public health issues, help raise awareness of environmental health risks among doctors, patients, and the general public, and learn how to report sentinel diagnoses or critical situations. We believe FDs can play an important role in connecting global concerns with local actions.
The project has already made significant strides; three 2-day courses have been staged, training 61 FDs from across Italy; a website, a Moodle platform and an online survey have been implemented and the Sentinel Physicians for the Environment (SPE) Manual is currently being compiled. Other actions have been planned to consolidate and develop the project; the training process should be sustained and disseminated and a standard plan for reporting an environmental health concern is underway. This will represent the foundation for setting up the overall SPE network in Italy and possibly in connection with other Sentinel Practitioners Networks in Europe and globally.
Background
Health effects due to the environment are among the most challenging concerns faced by our future. In particular global climate changes. However, the connection between the environment and human health as part of clinician’s activities is rather undeveloped.
Methods and results
We performed a literature review, finding that many Sentinel Physician Networks have been developed, but very few have dealt with environmental health issues, and almost none have considered the
opportunities of targeting Family Doctors (FDs).
Beginning with the Italian context, we are committed to developing a structured system, named RIMSA – Rete Italiana Medici Sentinella per l’Ambiente – (Sentinel Physicians for the Environment) as a pilot experience. Moreover, we would like to share our experience to raise interest of this model internationally. The aim is to monitor the effects of critical environmental public health issues, help raise awareness of environmental health risks among doctors, patients, and the general public, and learn how to report sentinel diagnoses or critical situations. We believe FDs can play an important role in connecting global concerns with local actions.
The project has already made significant strides; three 2-day courses have been staged, training 61 FDs from across Italy; a website, a Moodle platform and an online survey have been implemented and the Sentinel Physicians for the Environment (SPE) Manual is currently being compiled. Other actions have been planned to consolidate and develop the project; the training process should be sustained and disseminated and a standard plan for reporting an environmental health concern is underway. This will represent the foundation for setting up the overall SPE network in Italy and possibly in connection with other Sentinel Practitioners Networks in Europe and globally.
Health effects due to the environment are among the most challenging concerns faced by our future. In particular global climate changes. However, the connection between the environment and human health as part of clinician’s activities is rather undeveloped.
Methods and results
We performed a literature review, finding that many Sentinel Physician Networks have been developed, but very few have dealt with environmental health issues, and almost none have considered the
opportunities of targeting Family Doctors (FDs).
Beginning with the Italian context, we are committed to developing a structured system, named RIMSA – Rete Italiana Medici Sentinella per l’Ambiente – (Sentinel Physicians for the Environment) as a pilot experience. Moreover, we would like to share our experience to raise interest of this model internationally. The aim is to monitor the effects of critical environmental public health issues, help raise awareness of environmental health risks among doctors, patients, and the general public, and learn how to report sentinel diagnoses or critical situations. We believe FDs can play an important role in connecting global concerns with local actions.
The project has already made significant strides; three 2-day courses have been staged, training 61 FDs from across Italy; a website, a Moodle platform and an online survey have been implemented and the Sentinel Physicians for the Environment (SPE) Manual is currently being compiled. Other actions have been planned to consolidate and develop the project; the training process should be sustained and disseminated and a standard plan for reporting an environmental health concern is underway. This will represent the foundation for setting up the overall SPE network in Italy and possibly in connection with other Sentinel Practitioners Networks in Europe and globally.