History
The hospital “Gradenigo” was founded in the early twentieth century by the religious congregation of the Daughters of Charity and over the years has acquired new specialities, becoming a general hospital in the city of Turin. The purpose of the hospital is to assist those who find themselves in poverty or need and suffering. Since 1998, the Medical Oncology division is operational. In 2017 the hospital joined the HUMANITAS group and the current name is “Humanitas – Gradenigo”
Profile
Our hospital has a total of 120 hospital beds. The oncology ward has 9 beds, 4 of these beds are permanently devoted to palliative care. In our hospital there are also different active interdisciplinary groups:
- Palliative Care
- Lung cancer
- Melanoma and Cutaneous tumours
- Tumours of the gastrointestinal tract
- Urological Cancers
The interdisciplinary groups will generally meet once a week. The palliative care specialist is called to participate if needed. Within the oncology department there is a service centre (CAS) to facilitate the diagnostic and therapeutic path of cancer patients
The palliative care unit is able to provide the positioning of central venous catheters, catheters for epidural pain therapy, indwelling peritoneal catheters, or invasive procedures such as thoracentesis or paracentesis if needed.
The mission and principles that guide daily activities within the hospital are driven by a vision of the world and society based on the the ethical principles of the founding religious body that continue in the Charter of Values of the Humanitas group. Palliative care is inspired by the founding values updated in the document "The path of Cicely Saunders - the beauty of palliative care" to which our working group adheres.
Specialities
The hospital has 16 specialities. Our palliative care units rely on the collaboration of different specialists depending on the needs of the patient, always in line with the concept of multidisciplinary teams.
Palliative and Supportive Care
The agreement between the Gradenigo Hospital and the FARO foundation is based on the involvement of oncology staff, composed of 5 doctors (1 with specific training in palliative care), 10 nurses in oncology , a physician experienced in palliative care and 1 psycho-oncologists. Two secretaries at reception and service centre (CAS) act as a link between everyone. Integration with 2 nurses devoted to Continuity social-assistance service is fundamental.
The Centre refers to a philosophy of "Simultaneous Care". Patients can be cared for during active treatments through the daily presence of a palliative care specialist within the oncology team. This facilitates the sometimes difficult transition from the phase of cancer treatment to that of palliative care. Later, the patient and his family are taken over completely by the palliative care service through outpatient visits and assistance in DH, as long as possible and useful, and then in home care or hospice care by personnel of the same service operating in different palliative settings.
Last update: January 2024
