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In total, more than 125,000 patients require palliative care every year, which would require 1,500 physicians with a specific training in this field area, according to the latest data of scientific societies. Seventy percent of patients who die of oncologic diseases and 30% of patients who die of non-oncologic diseases require specialized palliative care.

For this reason, the Laguna Care Center hospital, promoted by the Vianorte-Laguna Foundation, in partnership with the ATLANTES Program of the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) of the University of Navarra, have jointly organized two courses aimed at the training of teachers who can attend to the needs of patients and their families: a basic course, which this year celebrates its fourth edition and which in 2013 was awarded the award to the Humanization of Health awarded by the high school of Doctors of Madrid, and the first edition of the advanced course, which has been held for the first time in Spain, in response to the demand of the participants in previous editions of the basic course.

Conducted with the partnership of the Grünenthal Foundation Spain, the courses are part of a European tradition of nearly 20 years, and have been successfully taught with students of more than 20 nationalities and in 10 different countries.

"With this initiative we intend to promote and spread the training of experts who can teach this discipline, providing the best care at the end of life. Palliative care is able to alleviate the suffering of patients in 100% of cases, since in refractory, uncontrollable symptoms, there are therapeutic tools that, in the hands of a medical specialist, are always efficient", emphasized the organizers of the workshop, stressing the need for healthcare professionals to have a specific training .

Internationally renowned experts

Both courses were taught by international experts such as Dr. Ruthmarijke Smeding, director of the course, senior trainer at the University of Liverpool and high school of teaching Clinical Palliative Care Rotterdam, or Dr. Gustavo de Simone, President of the association Argentina de Medicina y Cuidados Paliativos, coordinator of the Buenos Aires PC program and Director Physician of Pallium, center of reference letter international.

The professor team was completed by Dr. Carlos Centeno, director of the ATLANTES Program of the ICS, director of the Palliative Medicine Unit of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Senior Associate Professor of the School of Medicine and director of the group of work "development of Palliative Care in Europe" of the European Society for Palliative Care (EAPC); together with Dr. Antonio Noguera Tejedor, physician of the Hospital Centro de Cuidados LAGUNA and professor of Palliative Medicine of the Autonomous University of Madrid. Antonio Noguera Tejedor, Deputy Director physician of the Hospital Centro de Cuidados LAGUNA and professor of Palliative Medicine at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

Organizing entities

The Vianorte-Laguna Foundation is a non-profit organization whose purpose is the care and attention of elderly people with Alzheimer's disease, or who suffer from advanced disease and need attendance. With the goal to ensure the best care for those who need it, the Foundation has launched a Comprehensive Care Program for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, from early diagnosis and treatment to the advanced stage, as well as a Center training and research for health professionals, caregivers and volunteers. It has also promoted a pioneering Hospital, specifically dedicated to attendance in Palliative Care. At present, it also offers Home Care Teams to monitor and care for patients in their own homes, an Outpatient Service and the first Pediatric Day Care Unit in Spain for advanced diseases.

The Institute for Culture and Society It's him research center in Humanities and social sciences from the University of Navarra. It is characterized by scientific rigour, multidisciplinarity, internationality and the social impact of the issues it addresses. One of its eight projects research is the ATLANTES Program, which has as its goal promote, in society and in medicine, a positive mentality with regard to the care and attention of patients with advanced and irreversible disease, from a vision based on the dignity of the person and on professional care, which includes accompaniment and respect for the natural course of the disease and attention to the emotional and spiritual dimension of the person.