by InTrieste
The Friuli Venezia Giulia region has significantly expanded its palliative care network in recent years, aiming to improve support for patients with chronic and terminal illnesses. Officials highlighted these efforts at an event in Trieste marking 15 years since the passage of Italy’s Law 38, which guarantees access to palliative care and pain management.
Regional Governor Massimiliano Fedriga described palliative care as a key measure of a society’s commitment to democracy and freedom, emphasizing the region’s ongoing investment in research and innovation. “Our goal is not just to help patients survive, but to ensure they live as fully as possible,” he said.
Health officials credited the progress to investments in specialized facilities and a coordinated approach. In 2016, Friuli Venezia Giulia formalized its palliative care and pain therapy network, creating an organizational model for monitoring and improving services. Since 2022, each regional healthcare provider has established a dedicated coordination service, and in 2023, the government launched a regional enhancement plan to strengthen the system. The plan includes expanded training programs for medical staff and structured patient care pathways.
The region now has four dedicated palliative care facilities that integrate hospice, outpatient, and home-based services. Last year, the government allocated an additional €500,000 to improve equipment and services for palliative care units.
Friuli Venezia Giulia is also home to one of Italy’s few postgraduate programs in palliative medicine, run by the University of Trieste. Officials see this as a critical step in addressing what they describe as an overreliance on hospital-based acute care and a growing need for multidisciplinary approaches to chronic conditions.
The event underscored the region’s broader strategy of balancing medical treatment with social and psychological support, reinforcing its position as a national leader in palliative care.
Interview: FVG councilor for health services, Riccardo Riccardi
