The 2nd Regional Health Congress addresses the role of innovation, clinical trials and applied research in improving patient care
Research and innovation are no longer complementary activities; they have become essential components of the healthcare system. This was one of the main conclusions of the technical session “From support to transformation: The value of R&D infrastructures in health”, held within the framework of the 2nd Regional Health Congress of Cantabria, which brought together professionals in research, innovation and clinical practice to reflect on the real impact of these structures on healthcare delivery.
Moderated by Galo Peralta, Managing Director of the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), the session focused on how research support infrastructures have evolved to play an active role in transforming healthcare. Far from being limited to administrative or support functions, these structures now contribute to developing new capacities, attracting talent and incorporating innovative solutions that directly benefit patients.
From research to clinical practice
One of the speakers, endocrinologist Luis Alberto Vázquez, highlighted the role of clinical research units in bringing innovation closer to daily care. Drawing on his own professional experience, he explained how the support provided by institutions such as IDIVAL enables healthcare professionals to participate in studies and clinical trials without giving up their care responsibilities.
Vázquez argued that research should be considered one of the structural functions of the healthcare system, on the same level as care and teaching. In his view, these structures allow patients early access to innovative treatments, generate clinical knowledge and keep professionals connected to the scientific advances that will shape the medicine of the future.
Along the same lines, Blanca Sánchez, Head of the Clinical Pharmacology Department at Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, reviewed the evolution of the Clinical Trials Unit since its creation in 2012. She recalled that its launch made it possible to conduct early‑phase drug development studies in Cantabria—an ability the region had previously lacked.
According to Sánchez, the activity carried out over these years has progressively expanded the involvement of the hospital’s various clinical departments, consolidating a collaborative network that now includes more than twenty specialties. This growth has positioned Valdecilla as a national reference in clinical research and has helped attract competitive projects, research talent and new collaboration opportunities.
Innovating to improve the experience of patients and professionals
For her part, Marina Cano, a human factors engineering specialist from IDIVAL’s Innovation Area, addressed the importance of incorporating people‑centred methodologies to design safer, more effective and easier‑to‑use technologies and processes. She explained how this discipline analyses the interaction between professionals, patients, technology and work environments to adapt solutions to the real needs of those who use them.
Cano particularly highlighted the application of these methodologies in public healthcare procurement processes, a line of work that is enabling the inclusion of criteria related to user experience and safety from the earliest stages of acquiring new technologies. This approach, she noted, helps ensure that innovation is effectively integrated into the organisation and generates a tangible impact on care quality.
Throughout the session, speakers agreed that the true value of R&D infrastructures is not measured solely by the number of projects or trials conducted, but by their ability to improve health outcomes, facilitate the incorporation of new therapies and contribute to the sustainability of the healthcare system.
The session concluded with a shared reflection: transforming healthcare requires robust structures that connect research, innovation and clinical practice. In this context, R&D support infrastructures are consolidating their role as a strategic element to anticipate future challenges and ensure that scientific advances reach patients as quickly as possible.
