Colegio Torreánaz has recently donated a total of €3,035 to the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL) to support research in multiple sclerosis. This donation is the result of a charity walk organized by the school, in collaboration with local businesses, families, and students, with the aim of allocating the funds raised to a biomedical project with a local focus and social impact.

As explained by Dr. Julio Pascual, head of the Headache and Other Non-Degenerative Neurological Diseases Research Group at IDIVAL, the initiative arose spontaneously from the school itself. “We know that Colegio Torreánaz actively promotes solidarity within its educational community and is particularly sensitive to biomedical research. They reached out to our group because they wanted the proceeds from their charity walk to contribute to the progress in neurological diseases,” Pascual noted.

Supporting Progress in Multiple Sclerosis Research

The funds will be specifically allocated to a research project on multiple sclerosis, a disease that is the leading cause of neurological damage and disability in people under the age of 50, especially women. It is estimated that at least 600 people in Cantabria live with this condition, which affects the myelin—the protective layer covering nerve fibers—leading to symptoms such as vision problems and mobility difficulties.

Although current treatments are able to slow the progression of the disease, there is still no therapy capable of regenerating damaged myelin. That is why this IDIVAL research group is working on experimental models aimed at identifying candidate molecules that may promote remyelination, meaning the repair of this protective nerve layer.

A Multidisciplinary Team for a Complex Disease

The research is being carried out by clinical neurologists from the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital — Vicente González Quintanilla, Andrea González, and Jorge Madera — and nurse Nadia Cavada, who are in charge of the hospital’s multiple sclerosis clinic, together with postdoctoral researcher María Muñoz, an expert in this disease, and biotechnologist Gabriel Gárate.

Looking Ahead

The research team explains that the Valdecilla multiple sclerosis clinic is a pioneer in implementing new therapeutic and diagnostic options, and that their clinical experience allows them to transfer advances directly to the laboratory. “Our goal is for this experimental model to serve as a foundation for future research, including genetic manipulation techniques and the validation of new molecules with therapeutic potential,” says Dr. María Muñoz.

At IDIVAL, we extend our sincere thanks to everyone at Colegio Torreánaz for their commitment and generosity. We celebrate initiatives like this that bring science and solidarity into the classroom, showing that supporting research is something we can all be part of.

Last Friday, June 13th, the closing ceremony of the third edition of the MINDS Master’s Program took place — a gathering for reflection on the students’ journey through this program.

The event opened with remarks by Marisa Tejedor Botello, Senior Science Area Manager at the Botín Foundation. This was followed by David Beas, Director of Government Affairs & Market Access at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (J&J), who highlighted the “contagious enthusiasm” of the program directors for their motivation in developing a program of such scale and transformative vision. David also emphasized his company’s full commitment to the program, guaranteeing its continuity and future prospects.

Following J&J’s words of support, the event continued with a roundtable discussion led by César Pascual, Minister of Health of Cantabria; Juan Abarca, President of HM Hospitales and the IDIS Foundation; and Mercedes Navío, Assistant Manager of Hospitals at the Madrid Health Service. The conversation focused on the present and future of healthcare innovation in Spain, both in the public and private sectors, addressing topics such as waiting lists, professional profiles, leadership, and other key issues.

Afterwards, Margalida Darder and Ana Cristina Bandrés, alumni and representatives of their graduating class, delivered a speech reflecting on their time in the program — a journey marked by learning, synergies, and experiences that have stimulated their critical thinking and sparked a drive to promote change within their healthcare organizations.

Gregorio Rodríguez-Boto, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Nebrija University, officially closed the event on behalf of his institution with a few words of thanks to the master’s program, its leadership team, and all the partners who have made it possible.

Year after year, the MINDS community continues to grow and establish itself as a national network of innovation experts. The need to move in the same direction to tackle healthcare challenges underscores the added value of programs of this scale. A heartfelt thank you to all the participants, speakers, and institutions who have supported this project since its inception.

His outstanding career in the development of sensors and light-based technologies is recognized, becoming the first Spanish researcher to receive this prestigious accolade

José Miguel López-Higuera, a researcher affiliated with the Valdecilla Health Research Institute (IDIVAL), has been awarded the OFS29 Lifetime Achievement Award, an international recognition honoring a lifetime of scientific, technical, and organizational contributions in the field of sensing and measurement using light-based technologies.

The award was presented on June 2, 2025, during the gala dinner of the 29th International Conference on Optical Fiber Sensors (OFS29), held in Porto, Portugal. It marks the first time a Spanish researcher has received this distinction.

López-Higuera has built an extensive career in photonics applied to sensing, with over 150 research projects, 21 doctoral theses supervised, nearly 1,000 scientific publications, and 26 registered patents. He is a member of CIBER-BBN of the Carlos III Health Institute and maintains a close collaboration with IDIVAL, particularly in the development of light-based technologies applied to healthcare and medicine.

Among his achievements are the presidencies of major international conferences such as EWOFS 2004 and OFS23 in 2014, both held in Cantabria, as well as the leadership, since 2016, of the International School on Light Sciences and Technologies (ISLiST). This initiative, hosted annually at the Menéndez Pelayo International University, has featured the participation of leading international experts, including Nobel Prize laureates Andre Geim, Shuji Nakamura, and Donna Strickland.

In addition to his roles at IDIVAL and CIBER-BBN, López-Higuera is Professor Emeritus at the University of Cantabria and founder of the Photonics Engineering Group (TEISA). Throughout his career, he has been a pioneer in integrated optics in Spain and has promoted the use of optical sensor systems in diverse fields such as civil engineering, power generation, environmental monitoring, and, in recent years, biomedicine.

This latest award adds to a long list of international recognitions, including the IAAM Scientist Medal in 2024 and the Juan Parés Award from the Social Council of the University of Cantabria.

Caption: José Miguel López-Higuera (center) during the presentation of the OFS29 Lifetime Achievement Award.

On September 26th and 27th, the Hotel Bahía in Santander will once again become a meeting point for professionals in Neurophysiology and Intensive Care Medicine with the celebration of the 2nd Course on Electroencephalographic Monitoring in Intensive Care. Following the success of its first edition in 2023, this new gathering incorporates the contributions and suggestions received then, further establishing itself as a high-level scientific forum in the field of neurological monitoring.

A program tailored to current clinical challenges
The course is directed by José Luis Fernández Torre, Head of the Clinical Neurophysiology Department at Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (HUMV) and coordinator of the Neurophysiology in Epilepsy and Neurocritical Care group at the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), and Miguel Ángel Hernández Hernández, specialist physician in the Polytrauma and Neurocritical Care Unit at HUMV and also a researcher within the same IDIVAL group. The event will bring together national and international experts to address the current challenges in video-electroencephalographic (vEEG) monitoring in neurocritical patients.

Over the course of two days, participants will delve into the role of EEG as a fundamental tool for the diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis of patients with acute brain injury, non-convulsive status epilepticus, or coma, as well as its integration with other multimodal neuromonitoring techniques in the ICU.

The program includes training in quantitative EEG, interpretation of ictal-interictal continuum patterns, management of depth of anesthesia monitors, and analysis of neuroimaging correlates in the context of severe brain pathology.

The course will also feature a panel of renowned speakers from hospitals such as Marqués de Valdecilla, Puerta de Hierro, Bellvitge, and La Princesa, as well as international institutions like the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

A meeting to share knowledge and experience
The aim is to provide an advanced training environment and a space for exchanging experiences between intensivists and clinical neurophysiologists, with a practical approach based on real cases and multidisciplinary discussion.

The course will take place at the Hotel Bahía de Santander, specifically in the Santillana Room. The course’s Technical Secretariat will also be located within the hotel facilities to assist all attendees and guest speakers.

More information: https://2025.monitorizacionneurocriticos.com/es

A team of specialists in pulmonary hypertension and lung transplantation from the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (HUMV) and the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL) has just published a study in the journal Pulmonary Circulation addressing a question that, until now, has received little attention: what happens to patients with group 2 pulmonary hypertension prior to a lung transplant?

This work, led by pulmonologist Víctor M. Mora-Cuesta, stems from something as essential in medicine as correctly applying the scientific method. As the researcher himself explains, “It all began with a clinical observation: a lung transplant patient was presenting heart failure that was difficult to manage. When we reviewed her medical history, we saw that before the transplant she already met criteria for postcapillary pulmonary hypertension (group 2), something unusual in these patients, and which could explain her progression.”

From this observation, a question emerged: how often does this occur in other patients awaiting lung transplantation, and what are the implications?

A Rarely Studied Topic
Although there are five types of pulmonary hypertension, two of them — that associated with respiratory diseases (group 3) and that caused by left ventricular dysfunction (group 2) — account for the vast majority of cases. However, patients with group 2 pulmonary hypertension are typically excluded as candidates for lung transplantation because of the added risk of concurrent heart involvement. As a result, very little literature exists on this specific patient profile.

The Valdecilla team reviewed the hemodynamic tests of all lung transplant candidates in recent years and found that 10.9% met the criteria for group 2 pulmonary hypertension. Analysis of their outcomes after transplantation showed that these appropriately selected patients achieved clinical results similar to those of other pulmonary hypertension profiles — and even to patients without pulmonary hypertension.

A High-Level Collaborative Study
This study involved leading specialists in pulmonary hypertension and transplantation from across Spain, including Dr. Pilar Escribano from Hospital 12 de Octubre, and Drs. Diego A. Rodríguez and Esther Barreiro from Hospital del Mar in Barcelona. In addition, the research was carried out within the framework of the national CSUR network for lung transplantation, the ERN-Lung network, and IDIVAL.

Generating Practical Knowledge to Improve Clinical Decision-Making
The results suggest that patients with group 2 pulmonary hypertension, if carefully assessed and selected, can benefit from lung transplantation without a negatively affected prognosis. “It’s the kind of knowledge that allows us to make better decisions in the future for similar patients — which is, after all, the goal of applied clinical research,” concludes Víctor Mora.

You can read the full article here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12130283/

Photo caption: Part of the Pulmonary Hypertension Unit team at Hospital Valdecilla.

The Palacio de la Magdalena in Santander will host, on July 7 and 8, 2025, the fifth edition of the professional meeting Value-Based Digital Health: Transforming Healthcare Through the Power of Data, a landmark event organized by the Ministry of Health of the Government of Cantabria and co-organized by the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), with the collaboration of the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP). This meeting will once again bring together healthcare professionals, managers, institutional leaders, technology industry representatives and patients to collectively address the challenges and opportunities of the digital transformation of healthcare systems.

The event’s program is built around a clear premise: health is a fundamental pillar for social well-being, and ensuring high-quality, accessible and people-centered healthcare is a top priority. In this context, technology emerges as an essential tool for redefining how healthcare is organized, managed, and delivered. The meeting will explore how incorporating the human factor as a key design principle for technological solutions — considering aspects such as accessibility, ergonomics, usability and safety — is vital for progressing toward more personalized and participatory care. This calls for the active involvement of healthcare professionals, patients, and technology companies in the design and validation of new digital services.

Special focus will be placed on the opportunities currently offered by the European Recovery and Resilience Mechanism and the PERTE for Vanguard Healthcare, along with new programs in artificial intelligence and medical imaging interoperability, which set strategic milestones for advancing the digital maturity of Spain’s National Health System. The recent approval of the European Health Data Space Regulation represents a decisive boost for the interoperability of healthcare data and opens the door to the development of artificial intelligence algorithms that will help improve clinical decision-making and accelerate diagnostic and treatment processes. This new reality, characterized by a previously unimaginable volume of data, requires the development of a healthcare data governance model that ensures its safe, efficient, and ethical use, defining regulatory frameworks, quality standards and procedures to safeguard privacy, traceability and interoperability across the system.

Considering that the program, at the time of publishing this note, is still provisional, the event will offer conferences, dialogues, and panel discussions around the main drivers of transformation. The first day will focus on digital health, artificial intelligence, and patient engagement.

After welcoming attendees, the opening ceremony will be led by César Pascual, Minister of Health of the Government of Cantabria, and Carlos Andradas, Rector of the UIMP. This will be followed by a presentation from Noemí Cívicos, Director General for Digital Health and Information Systems for the Spanish National Health System (SNS), who will outline the national strategy in this field.

The day will continue with an address by Aleida Alcaide, Director General for Artificial Intelligence at the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, who will explain how to implement the integration of AI into the healthcare sector.

Afterwards, a panel discussion will explore how to accelerate secure data sharing to integrate artificial intelligence in healthcare environments, featuring Ana López de la Rica, from the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices; Juan Ángel Morejudo, Director of the Castilla-La Mancha Digital Agency; Javier Gómez Román, Head of Pathology at Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital; and Benigno Rosón, Deputy Director of Systems at the Galician Health Service, moderated by Rocío Montalbán, Course Director and Deputy Director General for Digital Health in Cantabria.

In the afternoon, Raj Ratwani, Director of the MedStar National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare in Washington D.C., will lead a dialogue on human factors engineering applied to patient safety. This will be followed by Juan Fortea Ormaechea, Director of the Memory Unit at Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, who will discuss how real-world data and big data are transforming research into diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The day will conclude with a panel discussion on how digital health can improve patient care and support, featuring professionals from various fields.

The second day will be dedicated to the use of healthcare data in clinical care and research, and its role in ensuring the sustainability of the healthcare system.

The morning will begin with a panel discussion on data-driven innovation in healthcare management, featuring Bernardo Valdivieso, Regional Secretary for Health in the Valencian Community; Javier Arcos, Managing Director of Fundación Jiménez Díaz; Yolima Cossio, Director of Systems at Vall d’Hebron Hospital; and Helena González, Associate Director of Medical Innovation and Data Analytics at MSD, moderated by Pablo Serrano, Deputy Director for Healthcare at the Cantabrian Health Service.

Next, Dipak Kalra, President of the European Institute for Innovation through Health Data, will join remotely for a dialogue on the necessary changes to transform healthcare organizations, also moderated by Pablo Serrano.

After a break, Nuria Mas, Chair of the Jaime Grego Professorship in Global Healthcare Management, will lead a dialogue on value-based digital health and sustainability.

The final panel discussion will examine the new horizons for research made possible by healthcare data spaces, with participants including Ruth del Campo, Director General for Data at the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Civil Service; Anna Saura, Senior Researcher at the University of Oxford; Marina Pollán, Director of the Carlos III Health Institute; Iñaki Gutiérrez, Director of Research and Innovation for the Basque Government; and Amelia Martín, Director of Clinical and Translational Research at Farmaindustria. The session will be moderated by Galo Peralta, Managing Director of IDIVAL.

The meeting will conclude with a summary of key takeaways by Rocío Montalbán and Óscar Fernández, Director General for Planning, Knowledge Management, and Digital Health for the Government of Cantabria and Co-Director of the course. The official closing will be delivered by Luis Carretero, Managing Director of the Cantabrian Health Service.

This professional meeting has established itself as an essential platform for sharing knowledge, fostering partnerships, and exploring how to place people at the heart of tomorrow’s digital healthcare system, using data as a driver for responsible, ethical and sustainable transformation.

Link to the full event program.

In collaboration with:

The Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL) will host two international workshops on May 29 and 30, where experts from across Europe will discuss the shared values of healthcare systems and the legal challenges posed by digitalisation in health.

This week, Cantabria will welcome an important international academic gathering, bringing together European specialists in health law and bioethics. Over two days of work sessions, on May 29 and 30, IDIVAL will be the venue for two workshops addressing key issues for the future of health governance in Europe. These events are organised by the Health Law and Bioethics Research Group and led by Joaquín Cayón.

Rethinking Common Values for a Genuine European Health Union

The first meeting, titled “Revisiting the 2006 Health Values and Principles: Contribution to a Real European Health Union?”, will take place on May 29. This workshop arises from the need to review the document approved in 2006 on health values and principles in the European Union, as it approaches its 20th anniversary in a context shaped by digitalisation, pandemics, demographic changes, and widening health inequalities.

Experts will reflect on issues such as incorporating new concepts — One Health, sustainability, or the principle of “leaving no one behind” —, the need to adapt legal and political language, and broadening the focus beyond patients to include healthcare professionals and vulnerable populations.

Digitalisation at the Centre of the European Health Law Debate

On May 30, the second workshop will be held under the title “Digitalisation and EU Health Law: New Challenges, Opportunities and Concerns”. This session is part of a series of annual meetings promoted by Professor Tamara Hervey, as part of the development of a section on European Health Law for the Oxford Encyclopaedia of EU Law.

Throughout the day, participants will analyse the impact of digitalisation across different areas of European healthcare: from data protection and medical device management to access to services, regulation of substances of human origin, and the governance of unhealthy products. Additionally, they will debate a collective concept paper on how to structure this cross-cutting area within European law.

International and Multidisciplinary Participation

Both sessions will feature leading experts from European institutions (European Parliament) and universities from ten countries: the United Kingdom (City St George’s University of London and Liverpool John Moores University), the Netherlands (Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Amsterdam, and Leiden University), Belgium (Ghent University), Italy (Roma Tre University), Austria (MCI Innsbruck), Sweden (Uppsala University), Ireland (Maynooth University), France (Aix-Marseille University), Poland (University of Gdansk), and Ukraine (National Aviation University of Kyiv). From Spain, researchers from the IDIVAL Health Law and Bioethics Research Group — an institute integrated by the Regional Health Ministry and the University of Cantabria — will also participate.

Cantabria, an International Meeting Point for Health

With this double appointment, Cantabria and IDIVAL consolidate their role as a strategic forum for health reflection in Europe, contributing from the region to essential debates for the future European Health Union and addressing the ethical, legal, and social challenges posed by digitalisation in the healthcare sector.

Researchers from the Photonic Engineering Group (UC/IDIVAL/CIBER-BBN), in collaboration with the Valdecilla Biobank and the IDIVAL Microscopy Unit, have published a new study in the journal Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. The study, titled Assessment of blood serum stability with Raman spectroscopy and explanatory AI, demonstrates that Raman spectroscopy, combined with explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), can be an effective tool for evaluating the quality of blood serum and plasma samples intended for biomedical research.

This work stems from the collaboration between IDIVAL and the University of Cantabria within the framework of the external internship program of the Master’s Degree in Light Science and Engineering, and it currently continues as part of the Valdecilla Biobank project for the ISCIII Platform for Biomodels and Biobanks (PT23/00058).

In this study, serum samples from 18 individuals were analyzed after being stored at room temperature for different periods of time, simulating typical delays in clinical environments. The samples were examined using Raman spectroscopy, a non-invasive optical technique that allows the molecular composition of a material to be studied. The data were then processed using multivariate analysis techniques, automatic classification models (KNN, Random Forest, SVM), and result interpretation methods based on XAI.

Although the chemical changes detected were subtle, the AI models succeeded in distinguishing between fresh and degraded samples. A key finding was that the autofluorescent background of the Raman spectra, typically considered noise, could actually serve as an indicator of serum quality.

This advance has important implications for clinical laboratories and biobanks, where ensuring sample quality is crucial. Quickly identifying whether a sample is suitable could improve the reliability of analyses, reduce costs, and help prevent errors in subsequent studies.

The team will continue validating this methodology with more samples and under real laboratory conditions, with the aim of developing automated tools for quality control in bioanalysis.

Link to the article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40359594/

Caption: Inés Santiuste, coordinator of the DNA and Fluids Node of the Valdecilla-IDIVAL Biobank; María José Marín, scientific director of the Valdecilla-IDIVAL Biobank; Verónica Mieites, predoctoral researcher in the Photonic Engineering Group at IDIVAL/University of Cantabria; Olga María Conde, researcher in the Photonic Engineering Group at IDIVAL/University of Cantabria; and María Gabriela Fernández, predoctoral researcher in the Photonic Engineering Group at IDIVAL/University of Cantabria.

Dynatract, a dynamic abdominal wall traction system for the treatment of open abdomen, has been selected to take part in the Deep Tech Venture Builder (DTVB) programme by EIT Health, one of Europe’s largest healthcare innovation networks.

This is a medical device designed to address one of the most complex and high-risk surgical situations: the open abdomen. This procedure is used in cases of severe trauma or serious abdominal infections when it is not possible to close the abdominal wall after surgery.

The Dynatract project has been fully developed at the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL). The Botín Foundation is participating as a Venture Builder, supporting the project promoters in refining the business model and preparing for its future market launch as a tech start-up.

Dynatract offers an innovative and effective solution: a traction system that applies controlled tension to the edges of the abdominal wall, allowing for progressive approximation and compatibility with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT).

This advancement facilitates postoperative care, reduces tissue damage, shortens ICU stays, and could result in savings of up to €15,000 per patient.

The team is led by Federico Castillo, surgeon at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (HUMV), and Patricia Zorrilla, engineer at IDIVAL.

Being one of the 17 projects selected in Europe for EIT Health’s DTVB programme represents a strategic opportunity for Dynatract, as it provides access to expert advice on clinical and regulatory development (CE and FDA certifications), refinement of the prototype and production of the first clinical series, acceleration towards clinical trials and market preparation, and participation in a European network of mentors, investors, and leading hospitals — key for its positioning in the international market.

According to Patricia Zorrilla, “with Dynatract we are transforming a complex surgical challenge into a safer and more efficient solution, improving outcomes for both patients and healthcare systems.”

This recognition by EIT Health strengthens IDIVAL’s commitment to applied clinical innovation and consolidates its role as a driver of projects capable of delivering real impact in healthcare.

Photo caption: From left to right: Gerardo García, Fernando Quevedo, Patricia Zorrilla, engineers at IDIVAL, and Federico Castillo, surgeon at HUMV.

Since 2022, the hospital has been anonymously gathering feedback from mothers to improve birth and breastfeeding care, in line with international quality standards.

The Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (HUMV) has implemented a range of improvements in recent years to offer more personalized, evidence-based, and compassionate care during childbirth and the initiation of breastfeeding. Among the most notable initiatives are the updating of clinical protocols, the development of specific breastfeeding guidelines, the implementation of ongoing training programs for healthcare professionals, and the introduction of Neonatal Rooming-In in the Maternity Ward. This measure allows some newborns requiring special care to remain with their mothers. These efforts have directly contributed to enhancing the experience of women giving birth at the hospital.

As part of this continuous improvement process, in 2022 Valdecilla launched a pioneering care evaluation project in the Maternity Ward, which anonymously and voluntarily collects mothers’ experiences after childbirth. The initiative, promoted by the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL) and the hospital’s Nursing Directorate, is funded by the 23rd Valdecilla Nursing Research Project Call (ENFVAL21-05) and is carried out in accordance with international standards set by two programs to which Valdecilla is affiliated: the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (IHAN strategy) and the Best Practice Spotlight Organizations® Program (BPSO®).

Through a simple online questionnaire, accessible via a QR code that patients can scan before hospital discharge, the hospital gathers key information on the care received during labor, the support provided in the baby’s first hours of life, assistance with initiating and maintaining breastfeeding, and support for mothers who choose not to breastfeed. The results obtained so far show a high level of satisfaction among mothers and help inform clinical and organizational decisions based on their real needs.

In addition to the care component, the project includes digital tools that allow for continuous evaluation of clinical practices and monitoring of quality indicators related to breastfeeding. This comprehensive approach is further strengthened by the formation of a multidisciplinary team made up of professionals from various specialties involved in maternal and newborn care, promoting more coordinated, efficient, and family-centered care.

HUMV’s Deputy Director of Nursing, Carolina Lechosa, highlights that “this initiative has been developed over the years in line with the indicators set by the IHAN strategy. Additionally, we have worked intensively to implement the BPSO Breastfeeding Guideline.” These initiatives generate synergies and are part of a broader institutional commitment, as the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital is currently undergoing the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (IHAN) accreditation process. Thanks to this sustained effort, the hospital was recently designated as a Best Practice Spotlight Organization® (BPSO®), a recognition of its leadership in promoting best practices and continuous quality improvement in healthcare.

For Lorena Lasarte, Supervisor of the HUMV Obstetric Inpatient Unit and Principal Investigator of the project, “the mothers’ opinions are extremely valuable because they allow us to adapt our care to their real needs. Their experiences motivate us to make tangible changes so we can improve our care every day.”

Through this initiative, the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital reaffirms its commitment to more humane and personalized care, placing mothers and their families at the heart of the healthcare process. The project represents an effective tool for continuing to move toward a healthcare model that listens, accompanies, and responds to people’s real expectations at one of the most significant moments in their lives.