IRCCS San Donato Polyclinic

IRCCS Policlinico San Donato is a major research hospital in San Donato Milanese, in the metropolitan area of Milan, and one of Italy’s best-known centers for cardiovascular medicine and surgery. The hospital began its activity in 1969 and is accredited by the Italian National Health Service. It also serves as a teaching center for the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Milan. Its approximately 50,000-square-meter complex includes dedicated areas for university education and biomedical research. The hospital’s strongest area of specialization is the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in both adults and children. Its status as an Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) was granted by the Italian Ministry of Health for research and clinical care related to diseases of the heart and great vessels in adults and children. This designation reflects the integration of highly specialized medical care with structured biomedical research and academic activity. Policlinico San Donato has developed particular expertise in complex cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology, arrhythmology, electrophysiology, and the management of congenital heart disease. Its cardiac teams treat patients across a wide age range, including children with complex congenital conditions and adults requiring advanced surgical or catheter-based interventions. The scale of its cardiovascular activity is one of the hospital's defining characteristics. Official hospital documentation reports more than 1,500 cardiac surgery procedures annually, while the center also performs thousands of interventional cardiology procedures. The hospital has accumulated substantial experience in major cardiac operations since establishing its cardiac surgery unit and is particularly recognized for its work in congenital heart disease. The Arrhythmology and Electrophysiology Department represents another important area of expertise. San Donato performs more than 1,400 catheter ablations each year, placing its electrophysiology activity among the largest in the world. The department operates dedicated electrophysiology laboratories equipped with advanced imaging and mapping technologies designed to support the treatment of complex cardiac rhythm disorders. A distinctive feature of Policlinico San Donato is its long-standing specialization in pediatric cardiac care. The hospital treats more than 1,000 pediatric patients each year, including children with congenital heart diseases from the earliest days of life. Its teams provide continuity of specialist cardiac care as young patients grow into adulthood, particularly in cases requiring long-term management of congenital cardiovascular conditions. The hospital's international humanitarian activity is closely connected with this expertise. In cooperation with the Bambini Cardiopatici nel Mondo association, San Donato has participated in programs to provide cardiac treatment to children in countries where highly specialized congenital heart surgery is less accessible. More than 3,000 children from around the world have benefited from this international initiative. Research is an integral part of the hospital, not a separate activity from clinical care. As an IRCCS, Policlinico San Donato participates in national and international research projects, with a particular emphasis on cardiovascular medicine, cardiac surgery, and diseases affecting the heart and great vessels. The hospital's research infrastructure includes approximately 3,000 square meters of laboratory space, along with dedicated space for university activities. Recent research programs have included projects conducted through the Italian Cardiovascular IRCCS Network and externally funded cardiovascular studies. In 2024, the hospital reported the approval of six research projects under the Italian PNRR program, with substantial public funding allocated to their development. Its research activities also include patent development and collaboration with academic and MedTech partners. The connection with the University of Milan further strengthens this research-oriented environment. Medical education, specialist training, scientific investigation, and clinical practice operate within the same institutional setting, allowing new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to be evaluated in a high-complexity hospital environment. Policlinico San Donato continually invests in medical technology and the modernization of its clinical infrastructure. Its facilities include specialized operating rooms, cardiovascular intervention areas, and electrophysiology laboratories designed for complex procedures. The hospital's investment strategy encompasses both the renewal of medical equipment and the development of its physical infrastructure, with the aim of maintaining advanced technological capabilities alongside high-complexity clinical services. The institution also maintains formal quality and safety systems. It has maintained certified quality management systems for many years and has introduced additional environmental and occupational safety certifications as part of its broader institutional management framework. The character of IRCCS Policlinico San Donato lies in the combination of high-volume clinical practice, advanced cardiovascular specialization, scientific research, and university education. Its decades of experience in cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology have created a particularly strong clinical environment for patients with complex cardiovascular conditions.