The ibs.GRANADA brings together more than 200 attendees at a key conference on research in Primary Care
The conference, held in the auditorium of the Andalusian School of Public Health in Granada, explored new opportunities to promote research to improve healthcare and community health.
The Granada Biosanitary Research Institute (ibs.GRANADA), in collaboration with the Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP), organized the conference "Primary Care Research in Granada: an opportunity for all”, an event that brought together more than 200 healthcare professionals, experts and representatives of the health system in Andalusia. The central objective of the event was to analyse the challenges and opportunities in research within the scope of Primary Care (PC), highlighting its role as a fundamental basis for addressing the main health challenges.
The opening ceremony was attended by leading authorities such as Pilar Gayoso Diz, Deputy Director General of Evaluation and Promotion of Research at the Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid; Isaac Túnez Fiñana, Secretary General of Public Health and R&D&i in Health at the Department of Health and Consumption of the Regional Government of Andalusia; María Ángeles García Rescalvo, Managing Director of the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital; José Juan Jiménez Moleón, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Granada; Leticia Soriano Carrascosa, Managing Director of the Granada-Metropolitan Health District; and María José Sánchez, Scientific Director of the ibs.GRANADA.
In her speech, Maria José Sánchez stressed the importance of Primary Care in the field of research: «Primary Care is not only the first level of care, but also the space where health problems are identified and where innovative solutions based on scientific evidence emerge.. " For his part, Soriano Carrascosa, highlighted that «The integration of research in health centres not only improves the quality of care, but also motivates professionals to continue learning and evolving.".
The event included panels and debates that addressed the resources available for research in Primary Care, as well as the challenges and benefits of working in this field. The value of collaborative projects, good practices in clinical trials and the connection with industry and scientific societies were highlighted. The discussion highlighted that Primary Care, thanks to its proximity to the population, has a unique potential to address key health issues.
Success stories were also presented that illustrate how research in primary care is transforming clinical practice. These included innovative projects such as the impact of environmental pollution on children's health, the application of advanced therapies in primary care, such as the StemHealing clinical trial, and strategies to prevent burnout in healthcare professionals.
The conference also served to highlight the importance of research into population-based cohorts in primary care, such as the IMPaCT cohort, led in Andalusia by María José Sánchez, which seeks to generate relevant knowledge for improving the health of the population and the causes of diseases, and in which 32.000 Andalusian participants will be recruited.
The event concluded by reaffirming the institutions' commitment to strengthening research in primary care as a driver of innovation and improvement of the health system. "It is essential to build strong research networks that connect professionals, patients, and healthcare systems. This will not only allow for better care for citizens, but also generate knowledge that benefits society as a whole." said Sarah Biel, manager of ibs.GRANADA at the closing ceremony.
With this conference, the ibs.GRANADA and the EASP reinforce their commitment to research as a key tool for the development and sustainability of the health system, highlighting Primary Care as a strategic area for leading future key transformations in the health system and in the health of the Andalusian population.
About the ibs.GRANADA
The Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, is the only center accredited by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) that develops biomedical research of excellence in Granada and one of the four accredited in Andalusia by the ISCIII.
The ibs.GRANADA is structured in four Scientific Areas: Oncology, Precision Medicine, Epidemiology and Public Health and Technology and Advanced Therapies that develop an intense research activity and lead the transfer of research results to society, which are reflected in the 1.210 publications made in scientific journals, totaling 6.668 impact factor points, as well as 19 patents applied for during 2023.
Currently, the Institute brings together 1.088 professionals and 69 multidisciplinary research groups that comprise, from the University of Granada, the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, the San Cecilio Clinical University Hospital, the Andalusian School of Public Health and the centers of Primary Care of Granada.
The main objectives of ibs.GRANADA are to promote biomedical, clinical and epidemiological research carried out by the different groups attached to the institute and to facilitate translational research in Granada hospitals. This research activity translates into the generation of knowledge and the transfer of scientific advances towards the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of priority health problems in Andalusia.
