Lombardy Region and AREU are once again among the most innovative in European emergency healthcare service providers.
In July 2020 Beta 80 Group completed their PSAP for their new European number 116117, the first of its kind in Italy. The PSAP supports the whole region and adds to the Continuity of Care services, replacing the medical guard .
38 call handling workstations, 11 million citizens served and thousands of doctors trained to use the new call management platform. These are the project's numbers, achieved thanks to a team of professionals, the use of a CAD software capable of flxibly adapting to different contexts and needs and the combination of different methods and technologies.
The technical implementation is the result, of a gradual process: the design began in 2014 and was divided into ongoing discussions with institutions, to map the provinces and prepare the technical bases to gradually introduce the service.
The activation of the 116117 number by Telecom Italia was only the last step, which made it possible to truly standardize the service.
The Benefits
The new system was developed to meet wider needs and ensure greater benefits. Between these:
- 24/7 telephone interpreting service
- fully computerized activity
- automatic voice recording of incoming and outgoing calls
- traceability of all communications
- strong integration between aid and continuity of assistance
Covid
In response to the 2020 pandemic, the 116117 service was also used to provide citizens with all Coronavirus information and is currently used to plan and monitor Covid transport.
To expand daytime non emergency services, the number will be activated to book and manage planned patient transport with the help of Beta 80's Help 1st platform.
116117
116117 is therefore the single national number for requesting non-urgent medical assistance, services or advice. It involves the Continuity of Care service (formerly the Medical Guard) and the Tourist Medical Guard.
The service is active from Monday to Friday from 20:00 to 8:00 and on holidays and days before holidays 24 hours a day.
The response speed is very high: 75% of phone calls are answered after a maximum of 3 rings.
