{"id":42521,"date":"2025-12-02T12:10:30","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T11:10:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/sostenibilidad-sistema-sanitario-y-calidad\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T15:57:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T14:57:30","slug":"sostenibilidad-sistema-sanitario-y-calidad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/sostenibilidad-sistema-sanitario-y-calidad\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainability of the Healthcare System and Quality of Care"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Article by Dr Manel Santi\u00f1\u00e0, Past President of the Spanish Society for Healthcare Quality (SECA)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The sustainability of the healthcare system<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>sustainability of the healthcare system and the quality of care<\/strong> are two fundamental pillars for ensuring that <strong>healthcare is effective, equitable and enduring over time<\/strong>. Although they may sometimes seem to be conflicting objectives (cost savings vs. maximum quality), they are actually <strong>complementary<\/strong> if managed properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Healthcare sustainability refers to the <strong>healthcare system&#8217;s ability to maintain its services over time<\/strong>, responding to the needs of the population without compromising the resources of future generations. Key factors include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Adequate and equitable financing:<\/strong> A stable and fair financing system (taxes, contributions, co-payments) that guarantees universal coverage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Efficient resource management:<\/strong> Rational use of medicines, optimisation of infrastructure, reduction of unnecessary tests and duplication.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ageing population:<\/strong> Increased demand for care and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/vivir-mejor-con-artrosis-y-dolor-consejos\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/dolor-8-claves-para-convivir-con-artrosis\/\">chronic diseases<\/a> which require sustainable models of continuous care.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Innovation and technology:<\/strong> Incorporate technologies (telemedicine, AI, electronic health records) that improve efficiency without driving up costs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Environmental sustainability:<\/strong> Reduction of hospital waste, energy efficiency, and green policies in healthcare management.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quality of care<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Quality of care is the <strong>degree to which healthcare services increase the likelihood of achieving desired health outcomes<\/strong>, in accordance with scientific evidence and respecting patient values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Relationship between sustainability and quality of care<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><td><strong>Aspect<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Sustainability<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Quality of care<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Synergy<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Rational use of resources<\/strong><\/td><td>Reduce unnecessary expenditure<\/td><td>Avoid over-treatment<\/td><td>Greater efficiency<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Technological innovation<\/strong><\/td><td>Optimise processes<\/td><td>Improved diagnosis and monitoring<\/td><td>Safer and more responsive care<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Prevention and health promotion<\/strong><\/td><td>Reduces future care burden<\/td><td>Promotes wellbeing and health<\/td><td>More stable system<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Vocational training<\/strong><\/td><td>Increase productivity<\/td><td>Increases technical and human quality<\/td><td>Comprehensive and sustainable care<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The current challenges that could compromise the sustainability of the NHS are mainly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ageing population and chronicity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shortage of healthcare professionals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increase in pharmaceutical and technological expenditure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Digital divide and territorial inequalities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Climate crisis and environmental sustainability in hospitals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The role of SECA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/calidadasistencial.es\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/calidadasistencial.es\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Spanish Society for Healthcare Quality (SECA)<\/strong> <\/a>plays a very important role <strong>in the sustainability of the NHS<\/strong>, because it acts as a <strong>bridge between scientific evidence, health management and clinical practice<\/strong>, promoting better quality care <strong>without compromising efficiency or equity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Relationship between quality of care and sustainability according to SECA<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><td><strong>SECA principle<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Contribution to sustainability<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Patient-centred quality<\/td><td>Reduce unnecessary interventions and improve outcomes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Patient safety<\/td><td>Reduce costs arising from errors and complications<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Process management<\/td><td>Optimise flows and reduce duplication<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Continuous assessment<\/td><td>Enables decisions based on real data<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Responsible innovation<\/td><td>Improve efficiency without losing fairness<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Working with tools and methods that guide continuous improvement in healthcare quality is an excellent way to promote the sustainability of the NHS, maintaining high standards of quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SECA-1024x563.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SECA-1024x563.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SECA-300x165.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SECA-768x422.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SECA-1536x845.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SECA-2048x1126.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The role of the patient in sustainability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In any case, patients also play a fundamental role in the sustainability of the healthcare system and in improving the quality of care by becoming active agents who share responsibility for their health. Through self-care, prevention, adherence to treatments and responsible use of resources, they help to reduce pressure on the system and optimise its efficiency. Furthermore, by participating in decision-making, using digital tools and providing feedback on the care received, they promote more personalised, safer and higher quality care. Overall, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/dra-veronica-casado-mejor-medico-de-familia-de-europa-el-papel-del-paciente-en-la-artrosis-es-clave-un-paciente-informado-gestiona-mucho-mejor-su-patologia\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/dra-veronica-casado-mejor-medico-de-familia-de-europa-el-papel-del-paciente-en-la-artrosis-es-clave-un-paciente-informado-gestiona-mucho-mejor-su-patologia\/\">an informed and committed patient<\/a> is key to ensuring a sustainable, equitable and people-centred healthcare system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Article by Dr Manel Santi\u00f1\u00e0, Past President of the Spanish Society for Healthcare Quality (SECA)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Article by Dr Manel Santi\u00f1\u00e0, Past President of the Spanish Society for Healthcare Quality (SECA) The sustainability of the healthcare system The sustainability of the healthcare system and the quality of care are two fundamental pillars for ensuring that healthcare is effective, equitable and enduring over time. Although they may sometimes seem to be conflicting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42513,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2264,1287,955,2658,1271,958,1996,1699,2499],"tags":[2709,2710,2711],"class_list":["post-42521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artrosi-en","category-blog-en","category-osteoarthritis","category-osteopenia-en","category-osteoporosis-en","category-patient-area","category-responsabilidad-social-corporativa-en","category-salud-en","category-sarcopenia-en","tag-calidad-asistencial","tag-dr-manel-santina","tag-seca"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42521"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42531,"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42521\/revisions\/42531"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oafifoundation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}