The “Unit Disease”: an organizational model to promote and enhance the research activity at the public hospital and the local health authority in Alessandria

Objective: to promote and enhance the research activity at the Public Hospital and the Local Health Authority in Alessandria, the translation of results into clinical practice, excellence and constant growth in the medical, health and administrative area, through the creation of research-oriented project groups.
Methodology: the system development methodology refers to the Lean Thinking, and in particular to the X-Matrix, a framework in management studies to support the strategy definition and management process.
Results: 14 project groups named “disease unit” were created, with own referents and components, planned and timed actions related to specific thematic areas. Members cooperated to increase scientific productivity, to promote the activation of clinical studies, the participation in funding national and European calls, the integration into international and European research networks and collaboration with universities, hospitals and IRCCS.
Conclusions: the institution and coordination of the unit disease increased scientific production, supporting the collaboration and integration between the Public Hospital and the Local Health Authority with the University of Eastern Piedmont on the themes of research, innovation, experimentation and training, in relation to the way towards the IRCCS recognition.