La sicurezza del paziente in ambiente ospedaliero e la responsabilità professionale dei vertici strategici

[Patient safety in the hospital setting and the professional responsibilities of top managers] The authors underline the evolution of legislation concerning the creation of Hospital Companies and the reasons for the implementation of clinical risk management activities, then analyse the responsibilities involving the top figures of the top hospital management. In particular, the authors highlight the obligation and responsibilities of the strategic apex of a Hospital Company and show that, sometimes, the technical consultants – who express a medical-legal advice – underestimate the responsibility of these figures. It is a management responsibility that determines the obvious and inevitable consequences on those who work in contact with the patient and who bear the obligations and responsibilities. In some cases, the responsibility of the top figures is indisputable and obvious, but there is no awareness about the possibility of the top management involvement within the assessment evaluation.