History
Carlo Poma Hospital was founded in 1913 and its name is linked to Doctor Carlo Poma one of the Martyrs of Belfiore, killed on 1852. The Hospital is the reference for the whole province of Mantova with its Medical and Surgical Departments, the Pathological Anatomy laboratory and the Radiology and Nuclear Medicine facilities.
Profile
The Medical Oncology Unit is directed by Doctor Maurizio Cantore. The Oncology Department is located on a single floor of Carlo Poma Hospital and includes a ward and a Day Hospital. In the ward 16 beds are managed by two Medical Oncologists, fourteen nurses and four social health operators . In the Day Hospital there are 6 beds and 9 chairs for daily chemotherapy and supportive care, managed by seven Medical Oncologists, three Hematologists and thirteen nurses. The activity of Day Hospital includes the insertion of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICC) executed by three specialized nurses. The Onco-Haematology team is also supported by two data managers who deal with research activities. Solid and haematological neoplasms are treated with a median of 1200 new cases and 8000 cycles of chemotherapy each year.
Specialities
The Onco-Hematology team responds to the patients' needs through diagnosis, treatment, assistance, rehabilitation and follow-up programs. Multi-disciplinary teams are routinely active: Breast, Lung, Prostate, gastro-intestinal and hematological. Since the diagnosis there is an early integration with Palliative Care and a psychological and spiritual support for patients and families. Patients admitted to the Oncology ward with age ? 70 years at first diagnosis of cancer were evaluated with Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment. In recent years our Unit has hosted, for cancer patients, several concerts with "Donatori di Musica" Association. Since March 2021 an independent newspaper in which are reported the services provided by Oncology and scientific articles was printed, for patients and their families.
Palliative and Supportive Care
Laura Rigotti (MD) is responsible for the Palliative Care Unit and the Unit is located closely to the Oncology department. Palliative care is provided by the following nodes: hospital assistance with multiprofessional palliative medical specialist and nursing consultancy in the various care regimes; outpatient care; residential care (hospice with 10 beds) with hospitalization and provision of specialized medical, nursing, rehabilitation, psychological services, support with artificial nutrition preparations, social services, tutelary, spiritual support and bereavement assistance; home care throughout the provincial territory through dedicated multi-professional and multidisciplinary teams (professional medical, nursing, rehabilitation, psychological, nursing aid-OSS services, tutelary assistance and spiritual support). The home care pathways include a basic level and a specialist level that are interdependent on the basis of clinical and care stability-instability. Every week oncologists and palliativists discuss the cases both from the clinical and psyco-social point of view to define a tailored program for each patients.
Last update: August 2021
