Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Primary Care Innovation
• Rural Health Services

Context:

• Mountainous regions face healthcare access challenges, particularly in tourist areas with seasonal population fluctuations.
• Asst Valcamonica experienced medical personnel shortages impacting continuity of care.
• High tourist influx during peak seasons strains existing healthcare infrastructure.

Purpose:

• To establish a temporary nursing-run clinic to provide healthcare services to tourists.
• To test a network organizational model integrating nursing management and remote physician consultations.
• To ensure first-level healthcare during peak tourist periods in a remote area.

Summary:

• A temporary nursing clinic operated by Family and Community Nurses (IFeC) was implemented in Ponte di Legno from August 7-25, 2023.
• The clinic managed 186 visits, with 99 service requests, demonstrating the effectiveness of nursing-led primary care.
• 86% of nursing management was sufficient, with minimal need for physician teleconsultation (3%) or Emergency Room referrals (10%).

Impact:

• The nursing clinic model proved effective and replicable in other high-tourist-influx Community Houses.
• Implementing nursing triage and teleconsultation can significantly improve healthcare assistance for both tourist continuity of care and primary care.
• This initiative offers a scalable solution to enhance healthcare delivery in underserved, seasonally impacted regions.