Italian Republic

The Italian Military Medical Service

The Italian Military Medical Service is a complex organization that deals with the health and well-being of Italian soldiers in service, as well as their families, veterans and other public administration personnel. Its main mission is to guarantee high-quality medical care to the military in service, both in Italy and abroad, during multinational missions and to assess the psycho-physical fitness of personnel in active service and citizens who intend to enlist in the Armed Forces abroad. The Italian Military Medical Service is made up of different corps, from the Italian Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Carabinieri, each of which has its own health service. Furthermore, Military Medical Service collaborates with the National Health Service (SSN) to guarantee access to medical care also for military personnel and their families who live outside military structures. The Italian Military Medical Service also provides medical and health support in case of national and international emergencies, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic. It also works with international organizations, such as NATO and the UN, to provide medical assistance to troops on overseas missions.

Surgeon General - Inspectorate of the Military Medical Services

On top of the joint medical body, the General Inspectorate of the Military Medical Services (IGESAN) is framed within the Defence General Staff organization and it is the health policy-making and advisory body of the Chief of Defence (CHOD). The General Inspectorate of Military Medical Services is responsible for the management and coordination of military health services and activities, as well as the training of military and civilian health, technical and specialist personnel assigned to both central and peripheral.

 

Organization:

Special Assets and Capability

 

Defence Forensic Medicine Board

Reporting directly to the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Defence Forensic Medicine Board is the supreme joint consultancy body of the State, in the field of forensic medicine cases. The supreme courts and constitutional institutions turn to it to receive impartial and qualified expert reports in medical field.

 

Defence Biomedical Sciences Institute 

The Defense Biomedical Sciences Institute is responsible for the diagnosis and surveillance of emerging and endemic infectious diseases in operational areas, molecular diagnostics for the prevention and diagnosis of human diseases, rapid diagnostics applied to microbiology, and biological emergencies of military and public health interest. In addition, it promotes and participates in national and international research programs for the protection of forces and the safeguarding of military and public health, provides support to commanders and units in the "CBRN" sector, and manages intellectual property and patents.

 

Defense Veterans Center

The Defense Veterans Center was created to offer global support to soldiers who are victims of disabling physical and mental trauma and to their families. The Defense Veterans Center aims to become the single point of reference for the management and development of all useful solutions for Defense personnel affected by functional limitations connected to the service, from the immediate clinical/therapeutic aspects to rehabilitation, to topics related to applied research up to psychological and social welfare support.

 

Military Medicine Journal

The Military Medicine Journal (Giornale di Medicina Militare - GMM) is the oldest military journal in Italy, established in 1851, and one of the oldest still published military publications in Europe. It reports medical achievements over a century and a half and has transformed into a high-quality publication thanks to the contribution of prominent medical figures. The GMM is distributed free of charge to the highest institutional offices, Medical Officers of the Armed Forces and the National Health Service branches, Italian Universities’ Rectors, Italian Embassies abroad, and foreign magazines of military medicine. The GMM now has an online version for global access to scientific, informative, and commercial contents.

Military Polyclinic of Rome "Celio"

The Military Polyclinic of Rome "Celio" is today the hospital center of excellence of the Army Medical Corps and represents the health reference point of all the Armed Forces and national Role 4, perfectly structured and integrated within the civil health sector. It guarantees health care to military personnel employed both at home and in operations abroad, as well as to their families, veterans and other public administration personnel. The fundamental activities of the Military Polyclinic (general surgery, orthopedics and traumatology, emergency medicine, emergency ophthalmology, including support services for hospitalization and treatment activities - clinical pathology, diagnostic imaging and transfusion center) are aimed at ensuring the management of medical-surgical emergencies/urgencies, mainly with a multi-traumatological connotation. Furthermore, in synergy with the regional health network, the Polyclinic ensures integrated diagnostic-therapeutic care pathways, to guarantee excellent care also in the other specialties. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was reorganized as a mixed civil and military hospital, with the capacity to diagnose and treat civilian and military patients infected with the coronavirus.

Military Veterinary Center

The Military Veterinary Center (Cemivet) is responsible for breeding and training military working animals that will be used in the Army's services; it is also responsible for the complete management and employment of the K9 units, including explosive detection, in every possible operational context at Homeland and abroad and serves as the national logistic hub for the provision of all veterinary materials to be used in the out-of-area missions. The Center is completely self-sufficient in the clinical management of the animals and equipped with diagnostic and basic surgery equipment, as well as collaborating with universities and research institutes for innovative projects, such as the one developed with dogs for the detection of prostate tumors. Additionally, the Center has a Farrier Laboratory where horseshoes are custom forged without using pre-made molds, ensuring high-quality work and a shoe perfectly adapted to each horse. Finally, the Military Veterinary Center takes care of retired animals, allowing them to graze freely in fields until the end of their natural lives.

 

Military School of Health and Veterinary Medicine

The Military School of Health and Veterinary Medicine is the institution of the Italian Army's Medical Corps responsible for medical training, qualifying, and updating in health and veterinary medicine for Army personnel and for members of all armed forces. Founded in Florence in 1882, the School trained over 60,000 officers as medical reserves. Since 1998, it has been located in Rome. The School provides courses for medical personnel and all-combatant, officers, non-commissioned officers, and volunteers serving in the Army. The catalog of courses provided ranges from Tactical Combat Casualty Care (T3C) for all-combatant and medical personnel to advanced first aid courses (e.g. ACLS), medical pre-deployment training courses, courses for environmental sanitation, technical-application courses for medical personnel on the premise of employment, medical management courses as part of the General Staff course. Furthermore, first aid courses are conducted in Italy and abroad by Mobile Training team (MTT).

Multinational Medical Joint Training Center - M2JTC

The Multinational Medical Joint Training Center (M2JTC), created within the European project Multinational Modular Medical Unit (M3U), is a training center that provides courses and educational activities aimed at the individual training and integration of personnel intended to operate within Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs), as well as verifies the preparation, pre-deployment training and integration of the medical teams (collective level) for medical support to military operations. M2JTC takes part to the National and Multinational exercises in which is involved a Medical Treatment Facility (Role 2 and above) in order to verify and evaluate material, procedures and personnel.

 Underwater and Hyperbaric medicine

Underwater and hyperbaric medicine is an area of excellence of the Navy Medical Corps. At the Command of Divers and Raiders of Varignano (La Spezia) medical officers carry out study and research activities in the underwater sector in collaboration with scientific societies and prestigious national universities. The hyperbaric chambers of the Navy are an indispensable support to the operational activities of divers in the event of diving accidents and decompression diseases. Thanks to an agreement with the national health service, the hyperbaric chambers of the Navy are also used for elective and emergency treatments for the civilian population at the Military Hospital of Taranto, the Infirmary of La Spezia and the Military Polyclinic of Rome "Celio".

Aerospace Medicine Institutes

Since 1920s, Military Aerospace Medicine has been in charge of providing selection and psychophysiological control of aircrew and research on the pathophysiology of man in flight. In Italy, the Aerospace Medicine Institutes deal with the health assessment of pilots and personnel on board military and civil aircraft and as "Aeromedical Centre" (AMC), according to the standards of the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA), they release Aeromedical certifications for airworthiness of air navigation personnel of the Armed Forces, State Armed Corps and Fire Brigade. They also provide Psychophysical selection of candidate pilots and fixed flight crews for the Air Force, and other Armed Forces and State Armed Corps and candidate astronauts. They provide Specialist outpatient care for Ministry of Defence employees and family members.

 

Aeronautical and Space Medicine Department

The Aeronautical and Space Medicine Department (RMAS) is the only Italian military institution that has the task of providing aerophysiological training for flying personnel. The RMAS carries out study and research activities on emerging aeronautical and space medicine problems, carrying out experiments and technical checks on aeronautical equipment, electro-medical equipment, and embarkable and wearable equipment. The Department is a point of reference for the national scientific community in the field of aerospace medicine and human factors and maintains numerous scientific collaboration relationships with university departments and research institutions, including the Italian Space Agency. The Department has been certified since 2005 as a provider of aerophysiological training by the "Department of the Air Force" of the United States.

 

Institute of Advanced Studies and Training in Aerospace Medicine

The Institute of Advanced Studies and Training in Aerospace Medicine (IPAMAS) is responsible for completing the basic training of the health personnel of the Italian Air Force, with the task of providing for training, specialization and qualification in aeronautical and space medicine of Officers, NCOs and Graduates of the health professions. Moreover, in addition to the training of Military Rescuers and Biocontainment Operators, the Institute also organizes the Basic Course in Aeronautical and Space Medicine, open to Medical Officers of other Armed Forces and civilian doctors, accredited by the National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) and recognized as a mandatory prerequisite in order to obtain the qualification of Aeromedical Examiner (AME).

 

Pratica di Mare Air Force Main Infirmary

The Pratica di Mare Main Infirmary, reporting directly to the head of the Italian Air Force Medical Service, provides local health services, technical-professional advice, and health-checks for departments located in the base. It is also responsible for urgent or scheduled transport operations for both military and civilian patients with infectious/contagious/diffusive diseases, in Italy and abroad, through the specialized "Biocontainment Group" and "Health Transport Group". The Biocontainment Group is a highly trained and specialized unit responsible for transporting patients suffering from highly contagious or dangerous diseases to ensure maximum safety for patients, crew, and medical staff. Equipped with advanced protective equipment and special stretchers, it responds to medical emergencies that may occur in connection with military activities, epidemics, and pandemics. The unit has contributed to national and international multimodal transports of infected patients during the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Infirmary is in charge of setting up the "Biological Point of Entry" and contributes to national S.A.R. operations on HH139A helicopters.

 Body Identification Units

The body identification units are specialized units of the Carabinieri, whose main task is to identify unidentified or unknown bodies. They are staffed by highly trained specialists, including medical examiners, laboratory technicians, and other forensic identification experts. The work of the body identification teams makes it possible to identify missing persons and to reconstruct the circumstances of their death. Among the techniques used are DNA analysis, fingerprint comparison, dental analysis and facial reconstruction.

 

Patient Evacuation Coordination Cell – ITA-PECC

ITA-PECC, wich belong to Italian Joint operational Headquarters (COVI), manages the aeromedical strategic evacuations (Stratevac) of military patients in national territory or in overseas theaters, in coordination with the cells deployed abroad and with the competent bodies in NATO and EU. The functions, responsibilities and tasks of ITA-PECC are perfectly integrated into the medical support system of the international organizations. Moreover ITA-PECC cooperate with national organizations for the same tasks, involving italian population during health emergencies and calamities.

 

Military Chemical Pharmaceutical Plant

The Military Chemical Pharmaceutical Plant of Florence produces drugs, medical-surgical equipment, medical products and food for the Italian armed forces. It has contributed to the health of citizens during major events in the country, such as world wars, natural disasters and epidemics. The plant collaborates with public hospitals, universities, and research institutes to produce medications for rare diseases and support the emergency needs of the civil protection. Managed by the Defense Industries Agency since 2001, the plant has expanded its production in recent years to include medical cannabis for various diseases and provided large quantities of hand and surface sanitizers and hydroxychloroquine capsules to combat COVID-19. Moreover, it has joined a collaboration agreement to develop vaccines and monoclonal antibodies.

 

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status: 31 January 2024

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