On Wednesday 7 November, representatives from five Autonomous Communities met at UIC Barcelona to take part in the first Expert Meeting on Integrated Health and Social Care, organised by the Hestia Chair. 

 

As part of the event, doctors, nurses, social workers, managers and information system engineers shared and discussed innovative experiences carried out in the communities of Aragon, the Canary Islands, Valencia, Navarre and Catalonia. The meeting revolved around the issue of how to tackle the progressive increase in the health determinants of greatest concern to health systems in developed countries, such as ageing, chronicity and mental illness.

 

Despite the rise in life expectancy, thanks to the success of new drugs and developments in health technology, there are an increasing number of vulnerable patients with complex chronic health and social needs. In this regard, the meeting provided a forum in which to highlight some of the programmes and initiatives currently being implemented in the participating Autonomous Communities in efforts to improve the care of chronic patients or patients with complex social or health needs.