When a young patient needs an ultrasound scan, getting a diagnosis quickly can make a real difference, and every transfer to another department or hospital adds time, stress and, in some cases, real risk, particularly for the smallest and most fragile patients. Speeding up diagnosis means treatment can start sooner and be better targeted to each child's needs, without the added burden of moving them from ward to ward.
The project
"Una diagnosi per la vita" brings a portable ultrasound machine into paediatric and neonatology wards, allowing scans to be carried out directly at the child's own bed or incubator rather than in a separate department. The result is a more timely, more precise diagnosis of possible conditions, which in turn makes any treatment or rehabilitation path that follows more accurately targeted to each child.
Keeping the child in their own ward brings immediate clinical decisions, less stress for patients, parents and healthcare staff alike, and no need to move fragile patients, something that matters especially for premature babies. Alongside the clinical benefits of faster diagnosis and shorter hospital stays, the project also aims to involve parents more closely in their child's care and to strengthen the community's confidence in the hospital services available to them.
Who the project is for
The project's direct beneficiaries are young patients in the Paediatrics, Neonatology and, where relevant, Emergency departments, who can be scanned in their own bed or crib rather than being moved elsewhere. Hospital staff also benefit, as the portable device shortens and simplifies the time needed to carry out each diagnosis.
Project name: Una diagnosi per la vita
Proposing organisation: Associazione Mattia Mantovan ETS
Area of intervention: Health & Welfare
Country: Italy