History
The INI Institute (Istituto Neurotraumatologico Italiano), is located in a southern area near Rome, his historic building has been home of the Pontifical Scots College of St.Andrew the Apostle till 1971; INI is a multidisciplinary institute accredited with the National Health System.
Profile
The Medical Oncology Unit includes:
- Oncology ward with 25 beds (4 beds exclusively for palliative care patients);
- Day-hospital (6 days per week), mainly 20-30 cancer treatments and supportive care daily;
- Ambulatory
- CIO (Centre of Interdisciplinary Osteo-ncology) for interdisciplinary approach to patients with bone metastases (oncologist, radiotherapist, physiatrist, orthopaedic surgeon, nuclear physician and palliative care clinician).
The professional staff of the Oncology Unit comprises:
- Medical Director and staff oncologists, trained in cancer patient care, in clinical research and in palliative macro; postgraduate oncology speciality students
- Qualified nurses, all trained in oncology nursing and fundamentals of palliative care
- 1 Psychologist properly trained in psycho-oncology
- The chaplain is available both to patients and their families for any religious-related assistance and for any spiritual assistance they may require
Specialities
In the INI Centre there is also a Cancer Rehabilitation Department available to the Oncology Unit, a Radiotherapy Department with a nuclear medicine unit, a Pain management Service and a Psycho-oncology Service.
Therapeutic decisions are taken in regular interdisciplinary meetings.
Palliative and Supportive Care
The Centre provides: supportive care for symptom control during the causal treatment application; palliative care for inpatients with advanced cancer through multidimensional needs assessment and treatment; guidance about care options and assistance in the development of a palliative care plan; referral to palliative care services for patients having more complex needs.
There is a close relationship and collaboration with local hospices and palliative home care services. This is bidirectional for any further diagnostic evaluations and/or specific treatment (palliative chemotherapy, bisphosphonates, palliative radiotherapy, etc.) with a real simultaneous care approach.
Last update: February 2023
