Migration and Healthcare Accessibility : A Case Study in South Tyrol

Abstract

This volume addresses the complexities of service delivery to migrants in irregular or marginalized situations, to persons with diverse linguistic, cultural or religious backgrounds, and to those who need navigational assistance to reach the services they need. Barriers in service access are generated in the interaction between organizations and their most disadvantaged groups of users. Healthcare services that are accessible to migrating populations reinforce their autonomy and are in the best interest of all. The case study, which was conducted from 2017 to 2020, is based at the San Maurizio hospital of Bozen-Bolzano, the largest hospital in South Tyrol, a multilingual and autonomous province in Northern Italy bordering Austria and Switzerland. It explores the agency of healthcare practitioners in shaping accessible services when attentive to patient needs, connected to national advocacy networks, and supported by hospital administration. With this study the author hopes to provide a broad view of this transdisciplinary field of study and practice and to offer a roadmap for practitioners who may play a role as brokers of accessible services in healthcare organizations.