The implementation of a Community Health Centre-based primary care model in Italy. The experience of the Case della Salute in the Emilia-Romagna Region

Background. The Comunity Health Centre (CHC) primary care model is a team-based health care delivery model intended to provide comprehensive and continuous medical care to patients within a defined community. The CHC, Case della Salute in Italian, model was introduced in the Emilia-Romagna Region in 2010. Methods. We present updated data on the implementation on the CHC Case della Salute primary care model in the Emilia-Romagna Region. Results. There are 67 operating CHCs in Emilia-Romagna (update March 2015); 26 small (39%), 24 medium (36%) and 17 large (25%). Since 2011 the number of operating CHCs has increased by 60%, reaching 55% of the target planned CHCs (n. = 122). There is, on average, one running CHC per 66.524 inhabitants. 16% of total general practitioners (GPs) and 8.4% of total family paediatricians working in Emilia-Romagna have their practice in CHCs. CHCs offer primary and specialist integrated care, prevention services, health education and social care. Discussion. Although preliminary results suggest CHCs have fostered primary care’s quality and efficiency, more research is needed to assess their impact on improving clinical, social and economic outcomes.