[Italian health centers and Web Marketing strategy: necessary improvements, even in nephrology].

The complete digitalization of the health system is an objective that Italy, from 2014, is pursuing with great difficulty, spurred by the many European initiatives dedicated to it. Despite the social and cultural background seems to be clearly ready for an application of the renewal strategies, e-Health and m-Health are struggling to get off the ground throughout the territory. The main difficulties are find at local level and don't spare any medical discipline, nephrology included. The characteristics of the official websites belonging to the local health centers demonstrate it. Today, these institutions are still sparsely present on Social Media or in the Italian Smart Mobile Technology landscape. The article illustrates the main features of the phenomenon and calls for reflection on the necessity to accelerate the digital innovation of the communication with patients. This is a possible strategy for reducing chronicity through prevention, and, potentially, for decreasing health costs.
(Copyright by Società Italiana di Nefrologia SIN, Rome, Italy.)