During the last years, Italy has seen a growing tendency by the State to meet the health needs of citizens through services and operations provided by directly-managed institutions. There is a progressive limitation of available resources while the demand for health is growing. Furthermore, the average age of the Italian population is slowly but steadily increasing and living quality standards for the majority of the population are globally rising.

It is therefore urgent to have persons who are free to provide flexible healthcare that quickly adapt to changing demand. These persons should also use resources more efficiently and responsibly. It is also necessary to search for new resources for health protection and promotion, as other health care systems in European and non-European countries do.

This prospect is encouraged by the work of non-profit organizations. In European countries they have become significant and they have proven to be successful in combining dynamic professionalism, prompt abilities to recognise health care needs and considerable organisational flexibility. Furthermore, they encourage the interpretation of the need for health care in its true nature of demand for meaning and responsibility and mutual involvement for healthcare providers and patients. It is therefore essential to involve new public and private financing entities which aim at supporting the need to further enhance and improve the provision of health care services.

While there are many health needs without adequate response, medical work outside the university is lacking in a methodological approach for research. In other words, medical activity is not subject to verification as in the applied medical research where a systematic comparison between medical action and universal and changing operational models is needed.

Camillo de Lellis Foundation’s activity works towards the growth of applied clinical research and a necessary cultural evolution of the local and national health system.