The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation unit within Italy’s Ast di Fermo health authority treated 166,957 patients under a coordinated care model linking hospitals, local communities, and patient homes, according to an ilrestodelcarlino.it report published this week.
Rehabilitation Department Coordinates Services for Acute and Chronic Care
- Continuum of Care: The rehabilitation department coordinates services across acute hospital wards, residential facilities, and home visits to manage both short-term trauma and long-term chronic conditions.
- Specialized Outpatient Access: Facilities include a new hydrotherapy rehabilitation pool in Porto San Giorgio alongside specialized clinics targeting pelvic floor dysfunction, swallowing disorders, and post-surgical recovery.
- Multidisciplinary Staffing: The unit operates with 38 physical therapists—scheduled to expand to 41—and five medical doctors, with a sixth physician joining shortly to maintain clinical volume.
Leadership Transition at the Ast di Fermo Unit
Dr. Maria Menichetti officially took the helm as the new director of the Complex Operative Unit (UOC) of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Ast di Fermo. Menichetti brings a career in public healthcare spanning back to 2001 within the Fermo public health system. General Manager Roberto Grinta welcomed the appointment, citing her professional and human qualities during an official presentation held at the Ast directorate headquarters.
The leadership handover involves senior administrative figures, including Health Director Elisa Draghi, Social-Health Director Alberto Franca, Clinical Governance and Risk Director Andrea Vesprini, and Health Professions Director Matteo Diamanti. Menichetti takes over a heavily utilized public service that relies on an integrated care network spanning local community health houses, residential care facilities, and home-based therapy.
Expanding Hydrotherapy and Specialized Outpatient Pathways
A central pillar of the department’s operational expansion is the new rehabilitation pool located at the Porto San Giorgio district headquarters. Menichetti noted that the aquatic facility significantly broadens therapeutic capabilities, allowing for targeted water-based rehabilitation protocols tailored to specific patient pathologies.
Alongside aquatic therapy, the unit is scaling up advanced secondary-level outpatient clinics. These include specialized rehabilitation tracks for pelvic floor dysfunction, dysphagia (swallowing disorders), breast cancer recovery pathways for post-mastectomy patients, and post-operative management for head and neck surgical procedures. The department also coordinates closely with local territorial authorities to address socio-sanitary integration challenges driven by an aging regional demographic.
Patient Volume and Service Utilization Metrics
| Service Setting | Activity Type | Annual Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Ast Outpatient Clinics | Medical Consultations & Physiokinesitherapy | 4,484 visits / 68,558 sessions |
| Home Care (Domiciliary) | Medical Visits & Treatment Sessions | 1,850 visits / 16,314 sessions |
| Murri Hospital | Consultations, Physiotherapy & Speech Therapy | 2,475 consults / 13,708 PT / 1,279 speech |
| Residential Rehabilitation | Active Projects, Visits & Treatment | 199 projects / 8,889 PT sessions / 218 visits |
Statistical output from the department highlights the sheer scale of public health delivery managed by the team. Across 2024—performance metrics which remained consistent through the following year—the unit delivered care across 166,957 patient encounters. Outpatient facilities across the health authority administered 4,484 medical evaluations and 68,558 physiotherapy sessions. Home-based care accounted for 1,850 medical visits and 16,314 therapeutic treatment sessions delivered directly to patients’ residences.
Within the acute setting at Murri Hospital, clinical staff managed 2,475 formal clinical consultations, alongside 13,708 physiotherapy treatments and 1,279 speech therapy interventions. In residential care settings, the unit oversaw 199 structured rehabilitation projects, conducting 8,889 physiotherapy sessions and 218 specialized medical visits to support post-acute recovery and chronic disease management.
References
- Ast di Fermo. Official Directorate Presentation and Departmental Activity Metrics. ilrestodelcarlino.it.
