“We were right about the surgical procedures performed at the pediatric heart surgery in Palermo: councilor Faraoni herself admitted it, the data was overestimated due to a calculation error. Well, it is a starting point, but it must be corrected. Let’s be clear, no one wants to penalize Palermo, indeed we would be the first to rejoice for two smoothly efficient and effective heart surgeries in Sicily, but this must not happen to the detriment of the Taormina which is an excellence that is recognized throughout the world and which therefore must continue to operate in perfect autonomy”.
This was stated by the M5S group leader at Ars Antonio De Luca, at the conclusion of the hearing of the Health Councilor Faraoni on the productivity of pediatric cardiac surgeries in Taormina and Palermo.
“The data for Palermo indicated in the operational plan of the Sicilian pediatric cardiac surgery network attached to the hospital network sent to the Ministry – states Antonio De Luca – was actually very oversized, as we said in the press conference. Palermo for 2024 was attributed an average weight of DRG, that is, that data which determines the degree of difficulty of an operation and the consequent economic reimbursement, of 6.5 compared to the real 3.62 and of 5.5 in 2025 compared to the correct 3.73. We ask ourselves, how could such a macroscopic error have gone unnoticed? However we take note of the admission, it is always a good starting point.”
“During the session – continues De Luca – councilor Faraoni also expressed her desire to free the two cardiac surgeries from the agreements in place with San Donato and Bambino Gesù. Well, however, we would like to understand how Palermo would go about hiring hyper-specialised professionals who are not on the market, when they have enormous difficulties in recruiting much more generic figures”.
“Finally – concludes De Luca – some of the explanations provided regarding the activities and procedures carried out in the two centers are not convincing, so I will proceed to delve deeper into the aspects of this matter that are not yet crystal clear, in order to provide Sicilians and the families of young heart patients with correct information on the two structures”.