Quiral opinion

Opinión Quiral núm. 45.2: Artificial intelligence in medical practice
2025
The transformative capacity of artificial intelligence (AI) reaches all fields, including medicine and health care. The debate that took place on 12th March, hosted by Fundació Vila Casas, highlighted the potential of AI to improve efficiency, precision and results in health care, and how important it is to apply it rigorously and ethically, all the while protecting patients’ rights and safety. Dr Montserrat Viladomiu, vice president of the Foundation, welcomed the attendees to the colloquium, which was chaired by Dr Miquel Vilardell, patron of the Foundation, and the two speakers: Dr Marine Renard (emergency doctor and coordinator of the AI Functional Unit at Hospital del Mar) and Dr Xavier Borrat (anaesthesiologist doctor and manager of the Clinical IT Service at Hospital Clínic in Barcelona). Other participants in the debate included journalists specializing in health – Carmen Fernández, Milagros Pérez Oliva, Susana Quadrado and Elena Freixa – and Dr Gema Revuelta (director of the Science, communication and Society Studies Centre at Universitat Pompeu Fabra) and Dr Alícia Granados (former manager of the Institut Català de la Salut). The debate covered issues such as training of healthcare professionals to incorporate AI into their daily work – and whether a certain level of techno-enthusiasm or scepticism exists –, the importance of hospitals developing their own AI models and avoiding a dependence on external providers with the corresponding lack of control that this implies, and the risks and benefits of integrating AI into management to guarantee a sustainable use in the health service. Descarregar

Opinión Quiral núm. 45.1: Primary care versus hospital care. Working conditions
2024
For more than a decade, health professionals have been denouncing their working conditions and demanding improvements in order to work with dignity and be able to offer quality care. The debate, which took place at the headquarters of the Fundació Vila Casas on 6 November 2024, highlighted the shortcomings of the system and analysed the situation of professionals in primary and hospital care. After an introduction by Dr. Montserrat Viladomiu and Dr. Miquel Vilardell, trustees of the Foundation, the guest speakers were Dr. Mariam de la Poza (director of the CAP Doctor Carles Riba in Barcelona and president of the Spanish Society of General and Family Medicine) and Dr. Àlex Mayer (assistant doctor of Internal Medicine at the Hospital Parc Taulí in Sabadell and assistant secretary of residents and young doctors of the Sindicat de Metges de Catalunya). The debate was attended by journalists Milagros Pérez Oliva, Susana Quadrado and Carmen Fernández, and Dr. Gema Revuelta (director of the CCS-UPS), among other professionals in the sector. Gema Revuelta (director of the CCS-UPS), among other professionals from the sector, discussed topics of interest such as the different economic conditions between hospital and primary care doctors; the compatibility between public and private practice; the feminisation of the profession; the overload of care and how this affects job satisfaction; the deficit of specialists in some specialties and the lack of organisation in the supply of MIR places, as well as the need to create incentives in training and research that allow doctors to exercise their profession and vocation to the full. Descarregar

Opinión Quiral núm. 44.2: The mental health of young people
2024
The increase of depression and anxiety in young people was one of the issues that was discussed at the debate at Fundació Vila Casas premises on 6th March. Dr Montserrat Viladomiu, patron of the Foundation, welcomed participants to the colloquium, as well as the speakers: Dr Joan Vegué (director of the Mental Health and Addictions Plan of the Generalitat de Catalunya) and Dr Miquel Casas (Honorary Professor of Psychiatry at the UAB and director of the SJD MIND Schools Programme of Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu). The debate was moderated by Dr Gema Revuelta (Studies Center on Science, Communication and Society, at the UPF) and included contributions from journalists who specialize in health: Carmen Fernández, Susana Quadrado and Milagros Pérez Oliva. Some of the issues raised focused on the impact and aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, though it was also stressed that there are other factors which affect young people’s mental health, such as the role of social media as a vehicle for bullying. Faced with shocking data (suicide ranks fourth in the causes of death in young people aged 15 to 29, and one in five children are affected by neurodevelopmental disorders), the lack of attention and resources in both the health and education services was highlighted as well as the importance of offering support and recognition to primary health care centres in the treatment of patients with mental health issues. In conclusion, prevention and adequate treatment are essential, given that many mental health disorders begin during adolescence. And it is crucial to assess whether the allocated resources are sufficient to respond to this issue as a matter of urgency. Descarregar

Opinión Quiral núm. 42.2: La sexta ola: desde la epidemiología y desde las UCI
2022
Some of the variants of SARS-CoV-2 – resulting from the mutation processes typical of a virus that has spread around the globe over a period of two years – have presented real challenges in managing the pandemic. The most recent example, the Omicron variant, caused a sixth wave with an unprecedented number of cases of Covid-19. The Quiral Opinion debate The sixth wave: from epidemiology and from the ICUs took place on 23rd March at Fundació Vila Casas, with the president, Antoni Vila Casas, and patron, Miquel Vilardell, welcoming the participants. The expert speakers from the field were Dr Magda Campins, Head of the Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology Service and member of the Epidemiology and Public Health Research Group at Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), and Dr Pere Domingo, Coordinator of Covid Hospitalization at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona. Dr Magda Campins explained that the sixth wave has had the highest number of cases, but not the highest rates of hospitalization nor mortality, and she highlighted the characteristics of the Omicron variant: higher rates of transmission and evasion of natural and vaccine related immunity as compared to previous variants, as well as a reduction in the effectiveness of antivirals, without an increase in the severity of the infection. She also outlined the most likely future scenario in which the illness will be light for most people, but with a strong impact on people who are vulnerable or unvaccinated. She pointed out the need to improve supervision systems, vaccination with booster doses and reinforce communication on the importance of wearing masks to protect the vulnerable population. Dr Pere Domingo spoke about the great milestone that has been reached with the development of the vaccines and that there are currently up to three antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibody treatments available for the most vulnerable patients. He finished by remarking on two important challenges: immunosuppressed patients and the child population, both with low immunity, as a breeding ground for new variants and strains that arise from animal reservoirs of the virus. Finally, they stressed the need to reinforce supervision systems, integrate information systems, promote vaccination, evaluate the need for a fourth dose against new variants and continue research into treatments. Descarregar

Opinión Quiral núm. 42.1: 600 días de pandemia
2021
The Covid-19 pandemic has had serious consequences for public health, it has highlighted the lack of professionals and resources in the health service and had a major economic and social impact. But it has also served to show that investing in research can reap great rewards. After more than 600 days of the pandemic, we take stock of everything that has happened and reflect on possible future scenarios. The Opinión Quiral debate on Communication and Perception of Covid-19 took place on 24th November at Fundació Vila Casas, with an introduction by the president, Antoni Vila Casas, and a welcoming speech by the trustee, Miquel Vilardell. The event heard from experts in the field: Carmen Cabezas (Secretary of Public Health, in the Generalitat de Catalunya) and Antoni Trilla (Head of the Preventive and Epidemiological Medicine Service at the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona). Carmen Cabezas pointed out that we should use the word syndemic to refer to what is happening, since the situation affects people unequally according to their socio-economic level and the social and health factors affecting their lives. Antoni Trilla highlighted the importance of vaccination and other prevention measures to try and reduce the risk of contagion (masks, ventilation and distance) and to avoid the return to harsh restrictions. In addition to both speakers, the debate included contributions from journalists specializing in medical communication, as well as other professionals from the field of medicine and the media. Descarregar

Opinion Quiral No. 46.1: Deciding on motherhood
2025
The increasing delay in motherhood was one of the topics discussed at the debate held on 11 November at the Palau Robert in Barcelona. Dr Montserrat Viladomiu, vice-president and head of the Health Area of the Vila Casas Foundation, welcomed the attendees to the colloquium, which featured two speakers: Dr Julio Herrero (head of the Assisted Reproduction Section at Vall d'Hebron Hospital) and Dr Dolors Manau (head of the Assisted Reproduction Unit at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona), together with Dr Gema Revuelta (director of CCS-UPF), who presented some of the results of the study she is leading, the Quiral Project. Moderated by Dr Miquel Vilardell, the debate was attended by health journalists Milagros Pérez Oliva, Elena Freixa, Carmen Fernández and Susana Quadrado. Some of the issues discussed revolved around technological solutions to this problem, highlighting that assisted reproduction has certainly helped many people, but that egg freezing is not a substitute for fertility. With regard to legislation, and specifically on the destruction of eggs, the law has flaws such as equating eggs with embryos, which prevents decisions being made about eggs in the same way as those made about sperm. In short, promoting widespread information about fertility in both school and community settings is essential to reversing the current trend of late pregnancies and low birth rates. Descarregar