A collaboration agreement between Bambino Gesù Hospital, Gemelli Hospital, Gemelli “Isola Tiberina” Hospital, and the Catholic University for the development of research, training and treatment projects
Signed today at the Vatican Apostolic Palace by the heads of the four institutions, in the presence of the Vatican Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin
Rome, 6 September 2023 - Development of partnership projects in the fields of research, treatment and training in medicine aimed at providing people affected by the disease with scientifically advanced and humanly shared therapies: these are the main objectives of the Collaboration Agreement signed today, Wednesday 6 September, at the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, by the institutional heads of the Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital IRCCS, the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital IRCCS Foundation, the Gemelli Isola Tiberina Hospital and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart.
The Memorandum of Understanding, signed in the presence of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, relates to the aims envisaged by the “Pontifical Commission for the health sector activities of public juridical persons of the Church”, which reports directly to the Secretary of State, established in 2015 with the aim of "contributing to the most effective management of Catholic-inspired health activities (...), promoting the charism of the Founders”.
The Collaboration Agreement was signed by the President of the Bambino Gesù Hospital Tiziano Onesti, the President of the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital IRCCS Foundation Carlo Fratta Pasini, the President of the Gemelli Isola Tiberina Hospital Paolo Nusiner, and the Rector of the Catholic University Franco Anelli.
It is stated in the text of the agreement, "The signatories recognize themselves in the values that characterise Christian-inspired healthcare and intend to provide concrete responses to the solicitations of Catholic institutions and the current evolving context of the healthcare sector”.
The Collaboration Agreement responds to the exhortation of Pope Francis on 13 April, during his audience with the members of the Association of Religious Social-Health Institutes (ARIS), to support the testimony of the founding values with "competent and transparent management, capable of combining research, innovation, dedication to those most in need, and a global vision" and to have "the courage to get together and network, shunning any competitive spirit, uniting skills and resources".
In particular, the partnership between the four institutions will be implemented through “joint research projects; synergies in the areas of care in order to pool the specialist skills of staff, technologies, and the respective healthcare facilities with the aim of creating diagnostic and therapeutic care pathways (PDTA) to increase the quality of care offered to patients and optimize inter-hospital care processes; academic and managerial training courses with the Sacred Heart University Hospital for medical, healthcare and technical-administrative staff in order to foster the development of clinical-scientific skills of young students, doctors, healthcare and research staff”.
On the occasion of the signing of the Agreement, Cardinal Parolin expressed his “deep appreciation for the initiative, which fits perfectly within the activities of the Pontifical Commission for Catholic Healthcare and well interprets, with a concrete and pragmatic approach, the spirit of collaboration between important Catholic healthcare facilities. Alongside the clinical and research activities that, thanks to this collaboration, we hope will produce results to ensure the best care for all people, I also express my satisfaction with the objective of promoting effective and innovative models in the field of university education for the benefit of the younger generations of university students”.
