OVERVIEW

The classes include theoretical instructions and practical applications (based on the long operative experience of the Professor) in the field of design and management in both public and private healthcare sectors. Therefore, it does not present merely theories, formulas, etc., but rather practical applications: in just 48 hours of lessons, extensive knowledge of clinical engineering is imparted, based on solid foundations of healthcare engineering, which are also provided.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The main purpose of the course is to introduce students to a pragmatic examination of the National Health System (NHS) and its structure (Local Companies, Hospitals, including the study of its various areas and departments). The economic and financial aspects of the NHS are also discussed. The main objectives are: to provide future clinical engineers with an adequate capacity for dialogue with doctors, in order to understand their needs and guide a correct application of clinical /biomedical engineering; teach an adequate approach to hospital planning, paying particular attention to functional and economic aspects; provide the ability to design and operate using modern principles of Health technology assessment (HTA). 

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

AIMS and LEARNING OUTCOMES

The lectures of the course aim to prepare students who wish to pursue careers in engineering and management within the public and private healthcare sectors, working in HC service-providing facilities, hospitals, biomedical manufacturing industries and Regional and National HC Authorities. Offering comprehensive knowledge of clinical and health care engineering, the teaching is designed to provide technical and management concepts as well as guidelines on how to reduce management costs and improve the quality of services provided. The lectures of the teaching will strengthen knowledge of hospital design, medical equipment, global service and project financing. It will offer the latest updates on the post-pandemic Covid 19 situation and its impact on healthcare organization, particularly “community-based medicine”: it will provide the latest information on the meaning and development of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), HC component n. 6.

Learning outcomes should be articulated not only in terms of the knowledge to be acquired, but also in terms of competencies and skills. Accordingly, they are structured around the following components:

-Knowledge and understanding

-Application of knowledge and understanding

-Ability to make judgements

-Communication skills

-Learning skills

The exam will be passed by students who have demonstrated:

-to be able to apply their knowledge, understanding, and problem-solving abilities to new or unfamiliar topics within broader contexts related to HC organization.

-to be able to integrate knowledge and handle complexity, formulating judgements based on reflections on technical, social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge.

-to be capable of communicating clearly and unambiguously with their knowledge and conclusions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

-to have developed learning skills that enable them to start operating in professional contexts (industries, HC Authorities/Companies, Hospitals, research centers) in a largely autonomous manner.

PREREQUISITES

Attendance in the teaching course assumes knowledge of medical devices.

Those who attended the Fundamentals of Clinical Engineering teaching during their bachelor's degree (of which this teaching is NOT a repetition of) will find important additional implementation and content in this teaching that builds on what was learned at the bachelor's level. Nevertheless, to register to the presente teaching course it is not required to have included the above in thr study plan of the bachelor’s degree.

TEACHING METHODS

48 hours of lessons, including:

A visit to a HC facility/industry in Genoa

One or two “lectio magistralis” conducted by a professional/manager from the HC sector.

A class test exercise (quiz  based) which is mandatory for admission to the oral exam (the content varies each year and covers the topics discussed)

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

-Introduction to the italian SSN (National Health Service), a central level Service that coordinates the various SSR (Regional Health Systems).

-Managing Health and Hospital Companies: How to manage health and hospital companies like any other business, with particular attention to economic and financial factors. i.e. the sustainability of health companies and hospitals.

-Location and Design of Facilities: How to quickly and preliminarily calculate the necessary area for building a hospital, based on data such as the number of operations to be performed and relevant recovery period.

-Engineering and Economics in Healthcare: How to preliminarily estimate and calculate the construction costs of a hospital (with details on civil works, furnishings/medical equipment , and installations) and annual management costs.

-The Balance Sheet: Profit and loss account , Assets and liability adopted by companies according to the Civil Code and specifically by  HC companies.

-Principles of Hospital Design: Students will learn how to set up the preliminary layout of a hospital and its related areas .

-Presentation of one or two Cutting-Edge Hospital Projects under Construction or recently delivered : examination of the main medical devices including their prices. Study of the main hospital areas: the emergency department, inpatient wards, intensive care units, operating rooms, diagnostic area.

-Management of Hospital Waste: Italian and international laws and regulations.

-HTA (Health Technology Assessment): A sophisticated method for evaluating investments and processes in the HC sector.

- Recent updates on the post-Covid  era, with the related need to review the community based medicine also thanks to the recent availability of NGEU funds provided under the PNRR, mission 6 ( HC). Particular attention will be given to digital healthcare.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The course textbook is: "Ingegneria clinica e ingegneria per la Sanita, Clinical and Health care engineering" by Prof. Ing. G. Stefano Scillieri ( published by Editor Flaccovio, latest edition September 2024). The book is written in both Italian and English. The textbook will be supplemented by slides in English, which will be projected during classroom lessons and distributed online to attending students.

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Classroom sessions are not recorded and will take place in person from September to December in the frame of the general schedule determined by the Department and shall include 4 hours of lessons per week, possibly  in two modules of 2 hours each

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Only oral exams. Schedule in accordance with agreements with the Professor.

During the course, as mentioned above, there will be a written exercise/test whose result will certainly contribute to the student's evaluation.

Participation in the written class test exercise is mandatory and a prerequisite for the oral exam.

The grade obtained in the written test will not be averaged with the oral examination grade to determine the final grade, but it will give the Professor  an initial assessment of the student’s preparation.  

ASSESSMENT METHODS

During the exam, the student will need to:

-Clearly demonstrate an understanding of the concepts presented during the teaching course.

-Use terminology appropriate to the subject matter.

-Ensure clarity in the presentation of concepts.

-Demonstrate the ability to interpret and discuss drawings of various hospital areas covered during the lessons.

And/or 

-Demonstrate an understanding of the distinction between the profit and losses statements and the assets and liabilities in the context of managing HC Companies  

-Demonstrate an understanding of the structure and functioning of the NHS

-Demonstrate an understanding of the hospital waste program.

-The capability to calculate the necessary area quickly and preliminarily for building a hospital , based on certain simple criteria.

-The capability to preliminarily estimate and calculate the construction costs of a hospital and relevant annual management.

-Demonstrate an understanding of the project financing principles.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The Professor is available to answer questions during the teaching by mail

stefano.scillieri@unige.it or in presence by appointment

The Professor is available to assign and supervise master’s theses, which are usually carried out at Regional Health Authorities or Health and Hospital Companies.