L'autonomia imprenditoriale delle aziende sanitarie

The transition to a business model by Italian healthcare companies develops in the context of healthcare system reform. Local health units evolve into entities with legal personality and, as article 3 of Decree Law No 229/99 states, with business autonomy (namely organizational, accounting and managerial autonomy). However, healthcare companies are not private entities and their autonomy is rather limited. The business model is proving hard to establish itself in a system that works first and foremost to ensure citizens right to health and not for cost-efficiency.