The Umbria Region is launching a project to establish the Operations Center 116117, a harmonized European number for non-urgent medical care. According to Palazzo Donini, this free service will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering citizens health consultancy, information on local services, and medical assistance for non-critical situations, reducing the need to visit the emergency room.

The region has allocated €4.5 million for the project, reassigning resources from other projects to prioritize this initiative and ensure the stability of the involved health personnel. USL Umbria 1 will develop the executive project in collaboration with USL Umbria 2, the Regional Operations Center 118, and Puntozero Scarl, which will manage the service’s tender process.

“Concrete response to the needs of Umbrian citizens”

President of the Umbria Region, Stefania proietti, stated, “With the activation of the Operations Center 116117 we take a decisive step towards a more modern and accessible healthcare. This service represents a concrete response to the needs of Umbrian citizens, who will be able to receive qualified health care at any time, without necessarily having to go to the emergency room for non-urgent problems. It is a strategic investment that improves the efficiency of the regional health system and strengthen the network and strengthen the network territorial assistance, in full harmony with the objectives of the PNRR.”

Operational by March 2026

“With the activation of the Operations Center 116117 we take a decisive step towards a more modern and accessible healthcare.”

The government has entrusted the management of the Operational center to USL Umbria 1, which will coordinate the service from the territorial Operations Center (COT) HUB of Perugia, working with the eight regional territorial COTs. The structure is slated to be fully operational by December 31, 2025, meeting the deadlines of the national recovery plan and resilience – 6 health mission. All services and technological additions will be completed by March 2026.Qualified healthcare personnel, including doctors and nurses, will provide telephone health consultancy, guide citizens to appropriate health services, and activate the territorial care continuity service. The primary goal is to reduce needless emergency room visits while maintaining connection with the 118 emergency system when necessary.