The mission of the Emergency Department is to provide timely, appropriate, and optimal responses and interventions to patients who arrive at the hospital without prior notice due to urgent or emergency health issues.
Emergency Department (U.O.C Pronto Soccorso)
Director
Dr.ssa Anna Natalizi
The Emergency Department is a service dedicated exclusively to emergencies.
All diagnostic services available at the hospital are provided. If hospitalization or urgent specialist outpatient consultation is needed for specialties not present in the Hospital Facility (e.g., Orthopedics-Traumatology, Nephrology, ENT, Neurosurgery...), the patient is transferred to another public or affiliated facility that has availability, following telephone contact.
Access to the Emergency Department is possible via:
- SSUEm 118 (ambulance): reserved entrance at Entrance F, Via Santo Garovaglio 12
- Personal transport: reserved entrance at Entrance G, Via Santo Garovaglio 14
Admission to the consultation room is based on the severity of the patient's condition, not on the order of arrival.
Upon arrival, each patient, regardless of the arrival mode (ambulance or own means), is received by a nurse who, based on an initial clinical and medical history assessment, assigns a priority code (Triage).
The purpose of the Triage is to:
- Identify priorities and the most appropriate treatment area
- Ensure immediate assistance for patients arriving in emergencies
- Direct patients to medical consultation according to priority code
- Reduce waiting times
- Improve the quality of professional services in the Emergency Department
- Periodically evaluate the condition of waiting patients
- Provide health information and estimated waiting times to patients and their relatives
Arrival mode does not determine severity. This means that some patients may experience longer waiting times if others with more serious conditions are present.
Triage color codes – in decreasing order of urgency
In the case of a “white code” and at the doctor's discretion, patients must pay a ticket fee when the service provided does not meet actual emergency criteria.
For women with obstetric-gynecological conditions, a dedicated pathway is defined starting from the Emergency Department entrance, where there is a video intercom answered directly by the Obstetric-Gynecological staff located on the 4th floor, block B. The patient is received by the midwife, who performs the relevant triage.
Patients with eye problems are sent directly to the Ophthalmology Clinic on the 3rd floor, block A, for triage from Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and on Saturday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
During other times and holidays, patients are managed and visited by the general Emergency Department doctor.
The Valduce Hospital does not have a Pediatrics department. Therefore, minors up to 14 years old may be managed by the General Emergency Department and visited by the on-call pediatrician-neonatologist. If more complex management is needed, patients will be referred to other healthcare facilities with pediatric inpatient services. Minors aged 15 to 18 are managed and visited by the General Emergency Department doctor.
Useful documents to have with you:
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Health Insurance Card / Regional Services Card or at least the Tax Code card
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Exemption certificate (if applicable)
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Medication schedule
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Medical documentation from previous hospitalizations, test reports
Conduct Guidelines:
To ensure proper functioning of the Emergency Department, patients and companions are asked to follow the instructions provided by the TRIAGE staff and wait their turn in the designated waiting area. The Emergency Department waiting room is equipped with a public telephone and vending machines for hot/cold drinks and snacks.
Above the door separating the Waiting Room from the Consultation Rooms, a sign lights up to indicate that all staff are engaged in a major emergency. In such situations, only extremely urgent services will be provided temporarily. Full cooperation is requested to minimize inconvenience.
At the end of the diagnostic-therapeutic process, if no elements requiring hospitalization emerge, the patient will be discharged. During the Emergency Department stay, relatives may receive updates and visit according to the guidelines in the attached documents "Communication with Relatives of Emergency Patients" and "Information for Relatives/Companions".
Upon discharge, a report will be provided including:
- Diagnosis
- Description of tests performed
- Administered treatment
- Further treatment and/or follow-up if needed
Test results may be collected at Desk G, floor -1, Via Santo Garovaglio 14 (from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Monday to Friday), 4–5 business days after discharge, upon presentation of the collection slip issued at discharge.
The Valduce Hospital Administration declines all responsibility for any damage or theft occurring inside the facility. Patients are encouraged to entrust personal items and dental prostheses to their companions.
Ticket Payment:
Emergency services classified as “non-urgent” by the doctor (white code) are subject to a €25 ticket fee, including possible diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, according to the current law (D.G.R. n. 3379 of 09/05/2012).
Exempt from ticket payment:
- Patients eligible for exemption (e.g., pathology, disability)
- Services followed by hospitalization
- Services resulting from work-related accidents (INAIL insured)
- Services requested by public safety and judiciary authorities
- Children under 14 years old
- Adults over 65 years old
- All other categories exempted for outpatient services