85.6% of Spaniards value the possibility of receiving treatment or having tests in private or public healthcare and that all the data can be known by the professional attending to them at that time, regardless of whether they belong to one or the other.
IDIS report “Continuity of care and single patient”
It is a conclusion of the report presented by the IDIS Foundation -which brings together the private healthcare sector in Spain- on “continuity of care and the single patient”. It is drawn up from a survey of 3,000 citizens and interviews with seven leading doctors from both public and private hospitals.
The report presented as part of a day with the same name defines the concept of continuity of care. And it does so as the set of processes initiated in an integrated way by the health system in order to offer patients the care they need “independently” of the health system (public or private).
Cooperation between the public and the private sector
According to the data presented by the general director of the IDIS Foundation, Marta Villanueva, 70.2% of respondents are in favor of promoting cooperation between public and private healthcare.
Specifically, 31.3% see it as very necessary; 17.7%, quite necessary; 21.2%, necessary; 8.6%, little necessary; and 14.4% not necessary at all.
The survey also asks: How would they value the possibility of receiving treatment or having tests in public or private healthcare and that the healthcare professional attending to them at that time could know all the data?
85.6% support it. Specifically, 43.3% consider it very positive; 13.9%, quite positive; 28.3% positive; 4.6%, not very positive; and 6.3% not at all positive.
The survey reflects more data. Among them, that 88% of the respondents think it is reasonable that their medical reports are shared so that the professionals of another center have them. 84% understand that this authorization must be made by the patient himself.
Under attendance
The report also includes the “breaking points”. It refers to the gaps that patients find in the healthcare system. It analyzes them based on three cases of women with breast cancer: one diagnosed and treated in public health; another diagnosed in the private sector that alternates between the two depending on their needs; and another diagnosed publicly who decides to be treated in the private system.
Thus, these gaps detected in the report are, among others, the lack of prevention and personalization, as well as the loss of traceability, as a result of the difficulties encountered in the process of performing a diagnostic test, biopsy and confirmation of the diagnosis
But also the duplicity of appointments and tests, the difficulty of accessing innovative treatments and the lack of homogeneous protocols and harmonization of support structures.
Proposals before the “breaking points”
Faced with these “breaking points, the report includes three proposals to start “the path of continuity of care”. It is committed to an integrated strategy by the Administration of prevention and health promotion plans, in a global way and that integrates the two systems – public and private -.
It also advocates for joint committees for health areas with therapeutic and research purposes. And for integrated structures with multidisciplinary support groups. The goal is for the professionals to accompany the patient.
The president of the IDIS Foundation, Juan Abarca, has vindicated the importance of continuity of care in private and public healthcare.
In addition, he said, because Spain is a country where 23% of the population has private health insurance. A percentage that varies between communities but that in Madrid rises to 38%.
And according to Abarca it must always be done with the patient in mind.
Testimony and panel discussion
During the day, Elena Diez, a patient who has suffered from breast cancer has related his experience during the treatment. Among other things, he lamented the lack of continuity of care and advocated for dialogue between the two systems.
A round table has also taken place, in which the president of the Patient Organizations Platform, Carina Escobar, has participated; the general director of socio-health coordination of the Madrid Health Service, Francisco Javier Martínez Peromingo; and the medical director of the Oncological Institute IOB Hospital Ruber Internacional, Javier Román.
All of them have trusted that continuity of care will be a reality despite the obstacles.