Services

The UOS di Riabilitazione Neurocognitiva located in Villa Miari, Santorso fits the facility type reported in article 2.1.2 of the DGRV n. 751/2000.

It is a daytime hospital and an intensive rehabilitation facility, fulfilling the requirements of the Presidential Decree of 01/14/1997, recognized by the DGRV n. 2194 of August 3, 2001. This facility became operational in February 2002, under the direction of Prof. Dr. Carlo Perfetti, former Director of the Recovery and Functional Rehabilitation Unity of the ULSS 4 Alto Vicentino from 1986 to 2001.

Following Prof. Perfetti’s retirement at the end of 2008, the ULSS 4 has the clinical rehabilitation activity reorganized by rule of the Director General n.799/2009, and placed the Unità Operativa Sanitaria (UOS) of neurocognitive rehabilitation at Dipartimento di Riabilitazione Aziendale.

The UOS accommodates:
1) patients previously hospitalized in rehabilitation facilities codes 56 or 28;
2) patients admitted to other wards who, due to their characteristics, meet the criteria of the D.G.R.V. 3913 of 04/12/2007; and
3) individuals affected by pathological outcomes influencing the central nervous system – in particular post-acute outbreak brain vasculopathies or those resulting from traumatic brain injury, for which constant specialist medical assistance is not necessary.

The UOS Riabilitazione Neurocognitiva di Villa Miari has been supported, since its creation, by the Centro Studi di Riabilitazione Neurocognitiva with the aim of safeguarding, developing and deepening the principles of the Neurocognitive Rehabilitation Theory (TNC) developed by Carlo Perfetti, together with his collaborators in the 1970s.

The Centro Studi has become a national and international reference in research and education.

The current Scientific Director of the Centro Studi is Dr. Carla Rizzello, M.sC in Rehabilitation Science.

Research and educational activities include international congresses, conferences, seminars, study retreats, publications, and different levels of courses. Prof. Perfetti’s books have been translated into several languages and a quarterly journal, journal of Riabilitazione Neurocgnitiva, has been published.

The facility is frequented by undergraduate students of Physical Therapy from several Italian and foreign universities, and rehabilitation professionals from various parts of Italy and the world, who stay at the Centro Studi for different internship periods.

ORGANIZATION

Villa Miari is a UOS di Riabilitazione linked to the Department ULSS 7 Pedemontana. The Medical Director is appointed by the General Manager (the current Director is Dr. Gaetano Grotto).

Rehabilitation assistance is provided by the ULSS with four permanent professionals, based within the Functional Recovery and Rehabilitation Unit. Assistance is also provided by the County of Santorso through four full-time Physical therapists under scholarship.

Two of the four permanent professionals, Dr. Carla Rizzello and Dr. Marina Zernitz, coordinate  clinical/educational, teaching/scientific and research activities, and also collaborate with the Director of the Operational Unit in managing aspects of clinical rehabilitation.

In residential treatment, the structure operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In semi-residential treatment, the structure works for a period of not less than 3 hours a day for a minimum of 5 working days a week.

The peculiar feature that makes this structure unique of its kind on the national scene is that patient treatment is based exclusively on the principles of the Neurocognitive Rehabilitation Theory.

Auxiliary nursing care and domestic hotel service are ensured by the County of Santorso through its Villa Miari Institution.

Primary medical assistance is ensured by a family doctor appointed by the General Director of ULSS 7 (currently the doctor in charge is Dr. Matteo Napoli).

Regarding the sanitary, health and clinic risks, the Department Director refer to the pertinent UOS of the Medical Hospital Department.

For welfare and administrative aspects, a Coordinator (Giuseppe Greselin) works full-time with organizing the sanitary professionals of the ULSS 7.

ADMISSION AND DIMISSION METHODS

The UOS Riabilitazione Neurocognitiva “Villa Miari” is part of the rehabilitation network of a vast provincial and regional area. Consequently, priority is given to requests for admission of patients from the ULSS of the Province of Vicenza, secondly from the ULSS of the Veneto Region, and finally by outside regional Healthcare Departments. For residents outside the region, authorization and expense orders from the ASL of residence are required.

Pursuant to the DGRV n. 1889/97 and DGRV n. 1699/2001, physiatric visits and rehabilitative evaluations are provided at Villa Miari with the aim of assessing need and type of neurocognitive rehabilitative treatments. The modalities of treatment consist of:

• full-time treatment (intensive, three hours per day): residential with the possibility of returning to family every weekend; ten beds total
• daytime treatment (intensive): configured as a form of day hospital (continuous over time); five beds total;
• outpatient treatments;
• daily medical diagnostic;

For each treatment, clinical documentation, including the individual rehabilitation project, must be filled and kept, with the contents and modalities abiding by the laws in force.

A proposal of the plan and type of treatment takes place following a specialist physiatric doctor visit and rehabilitation assessment by the directors.

Physiatric visits by a family doctor are scheduled by calling 0445 599711 (Clinical Secretariat).

Waiting list management for the various types of treatment is done through the Head of the UOS, under the responsibility of the Director of the Rehabilitation Department, who authorizes the individual treatments.

Dismissals are decided by the Head of the UOS in agreement with the rehabilitation directors. It is communicated to the referring structure and family doctor for further needs. The UOS will provide, at the request of the patient, the following documentation:

• Neurocognitive Rehabilitative Records detailing the treatment performed;
• type of treatment still required;
• all else appropriate for the continuation of the treatment, including videos of recommended exercises and their descriptive comments.