The Renato Fiandaca Foundation was created in 2006 with the aim of developing and improving the emergency and urgent care network of the Region of Sicily. Directed by Giovanni Fiandaca, a professor of Criminal Law at the University of Palermo and former magistrate, the Foundation is named in honor of the professor’s son, Renato, who died in a car accident in 2001. The Foundation’s partners are Fiandaca family members, UPMC, and ISMETT. Its mission is the improvement of patient care, and reduction of the high clinical risk mortality rate through training, research, and development of advanced educational models.

The Foundation’s principal goal is promoting improvement in emergency and urgent care in Sicily through physician and nurse training in surgery and emergency medicine. Its first project was the creation of the Renato Fiandaca Simulation Center at ISMETT, equipped with the most advanced technologies for new and on-going training of physicians, nurses, and emergency services personnel.