Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic
Encyclopedia
The Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic is a large general hospital of 1,850 beds in Rome, Italy
. It serves as the teaching hospital
for the medical school
of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
(the largest privately owned university in Italy, founded in 1921 in Milan
), and owes its name to the university founder, the Franciscan
friar
, physician and psychologist Agostino Gemelli
.
Construction began in 1959 on the hill of Monte Mario
in Rome, and the hospital opened its doors in July 1964. It provides free medical assistance as part of the Italian national health system
as well as paid-for "private" assistance in hotel-style wards called "Solventi" (Italian for "Payers"), and includes facilities for basic and clinical research, on-site student residences, three canteens, three cafeterias, one restaurant, one bookshop, and two medical libraries.
Undergraduate and postgraduate education in Medicine & Surgery, Nursing sciences, Physiotherapy and a variety of other clinical subjects takes place at the hospital. Apart from student residences, the hospital consists of four buildings open to the public: the "Biological Institutes", the "Protected Health Residence", the combined "Institute of Infectious Diseases" and "Centre for the Medicine of Aging", and the main hospital building (the "Polyclinic"), which was significantly expanded in recent years by the addition of a new wing, where the Accident and Emergency department and most operating theatres were transferred, as well as several laboratories. The buildings are surrounded by parking lots and meadows. The original manorial villa, built long before the site was chosen to build the hospital and previously used as a convent, now serves as the Institute of Bioethics, as well as the main university Church.
The Gemelli hospital (which as the official hospital for the Pope keeps a suite of reserved rooms always available for him) entered a worldwide spotlight during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II
, who was rushed there to receive emergency surgery after the failed assassination attempt in 1981, and returned there various times, up to a few weeks before his death in 2005. Other famous recent ex-patients include politician Walter Veltroni
, priest Georg Ratzinger
(elder brother of Pope Benedict XVI), and Canadian filmmaker Damian Pettigrew
. In June 2009 a statue of Pope John Paul II was unveiled in front of the hospital building.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It serves as the teaching hospital
Teaching hospital
A teaching hospital is a hospital that provides clinical education and training to future and current doctors, nurses, and other health professionals, in addition to delivering medical care to patients...
for the medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore is a privately-owned Catholic university founded in 1921 by Agostino Gemelli. Its main campus is located in Milan, Italy with satellite campuses in Brescia, Piacenza, Cremona, Rome, and Campobasso...
(the largest privately owned university in Italy, founded in 1921 in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
), and owes its name to the university founder, the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
, physician and psychologist Agostino Gemelli
Agostino Gemelli
Agostino Gemelli was an Italian physician, Franciscan friar and psychologist who was also the founder and chancellor of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan in 1921....
.
Construction began in 1959 on the hill of Monte Mario
Monte Mario
-External links :* * *...
in Rome, and the hospital opened its doors in July 1964. It provides free medical assistance as part of the Italian national health system
Health system
A health system can be defined as the structured and interrelated set of all actors and institutions contributing to health improvement. The health system boundaries could then be referred to the concept of health action, which is "any set of activities whose primary intent is to improve or...
as well as paid-for "private" assistance in hotel-style wards called "Solventi" (Italian for "Payers"), and includes facilities for basic and clinical research, on-site student residences, three canteens, three cafeterias, one restaurant, one bookshop, and two medical libraries.
Undergraduate and postgraduate education in Medicine & Surgery, Nursing sciences, Physiotherapy and a variety of other clinical subjects takes place at the hospital. Apart from student residences, the hospital consists of four buildings open to the public: the "Biological Institutes", the "Protected Health Residence", the combined "Institute of Infectious Diseases" and "Centre for the Medicine of Aging", and the main hospital building (the "Polyclinic"), which was significantly expanded in recent years by the addition of a new wing, where the Accident and Emergency department and most operating theatres were transferred, as well as several laboratories. The buildings are surrounded by parking lots and meadows. The original manorial villa, built long before the site was chosen to build the hospital and previously used as a convent, now serves as the Institute of Bioethics, as well as the main university Church.
The Gemelli hospital (which as the official hospital for the Pope keeps a suite of reserved rooms always available for him) entered a worldwide spotlight during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, who was rushed there to receive emergency surgery after the failed assassination attempt in 1981, and returned there various times, up to a few weeks before his death in 2005. Other famous recent ex-patients include politician Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni, Knight Grand Cross, is an Italian writer, journalist and politician, who served as the first leader of the Democratic Party within the centre-left opposition, until his resignation on 17 February 2009. He served as Mayor of Rome from 2001 to 2008.-Biography:Walter Veltroni was...
, priest Georg Ratzinger
Georg Ratzinger
Georg Ratzinger, PA is a German Catholic priest and musician, known for his work as the conductor of the Regensburger Domspatzen, the cathedral choir of Regensburg, Germany. He is the elder brother of Pope Benedict XVI...
(elder brother of Pope Benedict XVI), and Canadian filmmaker Damian Pettigrew
Damian Pettigrew
Damian Pettigrew is a Canadian filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, author, and multimedia artist, best known for his cinematic portraits of Balthus and Federico Fellini...
. In June 2009 a statue of Pope John Paul II was unveiled in front of the hospital building.