title: Endometriosis in the north Italian province of South Tyrol.
abstract: Here, we report regarding the health status and medical support for patients suffering from endometrioisis in South Tyrol, which is a politically autonomous province in the north of Italy containing three different ethnic groups. The health service is administered largely by the autonomous regional government. Because of the establishment of a centre for reproductive medicine and the introduction of laparoscopy as a prime surgery method, the gynaecological department of the hospital in Bruneck developed into a reference centre for diagnosis and surgical treatment for endometriosis. The planned future social, health care and insurance developments on local and national level regarding this illness will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Center for Human Reproductive Medicine, Hospital Bruneck, Spitalstrasse 11, 39031 Italy.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinkasserer
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Engl
mesh_terms: D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009313:National Health Programs