We are a leading healthcare campus encompassing all fields of health: from healthcare and research to teaching and management.
Professionalism, commitment and research by professionals on the Campus are the key elements in offering patients excellent care.
We are committed to research as a tool to provide solutions to the daily challenges we face in the field of medical healthcare.
Thanks to our healthcare, teaching and research potential, we work to incorporate new knowledge to generate value for patients, professionals and the organization itself.
We generate, transform and transmit knowledge in all areas of the health sciences, helping to train the professionals of the future.
We are defined by our vocation for communication. We invite you to share everything that happens at Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, and our doors are always open.
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The Unit is made up of a team of specialist paediatricians, paediatric nursing staff, paediatric resident doctors working in shifts during their training, nursing assistants, paediatric nursing residents, porters, administrative and cleaning staff who share work and experiences for the sole purpose of offering the best care to the boys and girls in the Unit. We are experts in emergency care for children with complex diseases (patients with solid-organ or bone-marrow transplants, immunosuppressed patients, etc.,) in synergy with the other units in our centre. We are also part of the Paediatrics Department, offering comprehensive care to children who are poorly.
Our Paediatric Emergency Unit attends to patients up to the age of 16, except for children with chronic diseases requiring very specific treatment who may be attended to by our Unit even when they are over this age limit.
Besides making visits to assess children's emergency medical or surgical pathology, and appointments for patients who require clinical monitoring after our consultation, we also have an Observation ward for admitting patients who require hospitalisation.
Thanks to the coordination between the Nursing, Paediatric Emergency, Traumatology, Anaesthesiology, Radiology and Paediatric ICU teams and many other professionals, we are a benchmark centre in AITP (Initial Care for Paediatric Trauma).
When it comes to teaching, the Unit trains resident doctors (MIR) in Paediatrics and Family Medicine, as well as resident nurses in Paediatric Nursing. The Unit also plays a key role in training undergraduate Medical and Nursing students, as well practical training placements for nursing assistants. We take part in numerous continuous-teaching and training activities within and without the Hospital (advanced paediatrics life-support courses and AITP, joint courses with Primary Care, internal Hospital courses, sessions with several Units and Services, care simulations on children with multiple trauma and children in a critical condition, etc.).
As for research, we are part of the Spanish Society of Paediatric Emergency Medicine (SEUP) and its research network (RiSEUP), and we take part in numerous multi-centre projects and clinical trials.
The Immunology Department performs routine and complex immune system diagnostic tests, assessing and interpreting them in a clinical context. For complex testing, we act as a reference laboratory for other Catalan Health Institute centres when these centres request our help.
Most healthcare activities consist of diagnostic testing, and assessment and opinion, where applicable. Within this practice, we provide direct and continuous advice to clinical practitioners, by email, telephone as well as in person. We also design and improve diagnostic tests and protocols that allow diagnostic methods to be continually updated and bring clinical services into line with clinical requirements. Teaching and research are both crucial for the work that we are doing.
Our department includes a clinical immunology outpatients unit in which the diagnosis and follow-up of patients affected by adult immunodeficiency or immune complex pathophysiology is performed. Evaluation of the immune system’s response capacity is crucial to this activity. This unit is complementary to the Infectious Pathology and Immunodeficiencies Unit of the Paediatrics Department and the Bronchiectasis and Cystic Fibrosis Unit in the Pneumology Department.
It also actively takes part in clinical procedures within the hospital, in multidisciplinary approaches to amyloidosis, multiple myeloma, primary immunodeficiency and complex kidney diseases, as well as in the Advanced Haematology Therapies Unit.It is a reference centre, forming part of the European Reference Network on Rare Primary Immunodeficiency, Autoinflammatory and Autoimmune disease (ERN-RITA) and the European Reference Network for Rare Kidney Diseases (ERK-Net). It is also part of the reference unit of the Neonatal Screening Programme of the Catalan Department of Health in the field of serious combined immunodeficiency (unique in Spain).
We investigate, develop and innovate through projects in the fields of primary immunodeficiency, autoimmunity and counselling in the design and execution of research projects conducted by other groups in the hospital. We actively work alongside other departments, especially Paediatrics (Paediatric Infectious Pathology and Immunodeficiency Unit), Medicine (Allergology, Rheumatology, Systemic Medicine) and Nephrology, which is concerned with kidney infections.
Our department participates in networks to improve diagnosis and investigation in immunology, directly in collaboration with other departments and through the Catalan Immunology Society and the Spanish Immunology Society.
In recognition of our work in the promotion of Translational Immunology in our centre, i.e. applied study in patients, the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) has named the Immunology Department as Vall d'Hebron University Hospital’s Barcelona-UAB-FOCIS Centre of Excellencecoordinator www.focisnet.org.
We have also established intense bilateral relations and shared projects with, among others, the following centres:
The Immunology Department laboratories have ISO 9001 certification, as do the hospital’s other clinical laboratories.
The Immunology Department has a broad, up-to-date portfolio of diagnostic services that responds to the majority of hospital patients’ needs and those of the hospital catchment area.
The main components studied are immunoglobins, complement and regulatory proteins common to the complement and coagulation cascades. To evaluate immune response in patients with suspected immunodeficiency, the levels of immunoglobulins are measured and characterised: classes, subclasses, monoclonal components, cryoglobulins and free chains, as well as the production of IgG antibodies against polysaccharide and peptide antigens.
Complement activity along the traditional and alternative pathways is measured, as well as the main components C3, C4, C1q and C1 inhibitor. If the departments request them, special studies are conducted to measure the function of other complement pathways and the other components that make up the complement, as well as its regulatory factors.
Molecular studies have also been carried out that serve to diagnose patients with hereditary angioedema (SERPING1 and F12), patients with infections from encapsulated microorganisms (C5 and C2) and patients with abnormalities due to reduction in immune complexes (C4 haplotypes).
The laboratory has modern capillary electrophoresis, immunofixation and isoelectric focusing equipment. It also has a huge catalogue of disease samples and a digital file of cases of patients with monoclonal gammopathy, cryoglobulinaemia, etc.
This section is dedicated to the study of primary and secondary immunodeficiency, including HIV infection (secondary immunodeficiency), the results of treatment with depletion and immunomodulating agents and transplant of blood stem cells.
With this in mind, the following are conducted:
Phenotype studies and quantitative analysis of the main lymphocyte populations (T CD4+, T CD8+, NK and B lymphocytes) through flow cytometry applied above all to monitoring patients.
Phenotype studies aimed at diagnosing primary immunodeficiency by assessing naive and memory T cells (CD45RO/RA), degree of activation (CD3/HLA-DR/CD25/CD69) and minority T and NK populations such as γδ and NKT. We work with standardised panels following the FITMaN protocol (Flow Immunophenotyping Technical Meeting at NIH), which allows 30 subgroups of T, B and NK cells, monocytes and dendrites to be studied at the same time.
Research into lymphocyte function, in which the proliferation capacity, the production of cytokines, activation markers and the oxidative and cytolytic capacity of the different cell populations are assessed.
Should haemophagocytic syndromes be diagnosed, cytotoxic NK activity is studied, along with degranulation capacity, through the analysis of CD107a expression in NK cells and CD8, as well as perforin expression.
When it comes to diagnosis and monitoring of phagocytosis defects, an oxidation test and a reduction in ferricytochrome C, tests aimed at diagnosing chronic granulomatous disease, are conducted.
The department has two flow cytometers with two and three lasers respectively, with an automatic sample processing and preparation system, and the corresponding IT analysis programmes. There is also a full installation for cell cultures and another to process level 3 radioactive samples.
The Immunology Department, in collaboration with the genetics department, has a catalogue of 300 genetic studies for the diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency. These studies include severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), antibody disorders, familial haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHLH), innate immune defects and the main complement deficiencies.
In order to provide a highly specialised service, functional tests on the proteins associated with primary immunodeficiency are conducted using western blot or flow cytometry tests. Studies can confirm that gene mutations are pathogenic and affect the proteins they codify.
This section examines alleles and/or haplotypes associated with diseases (coeliac, ankylosing spondylitis, Behçet's disease, narcolepsy and others) and hypersensitivity to drugs (Abacavir).
The Allergy Section performs tests aimed at identifying the allergies that cause hypersensitive reactions due to IgE or IgG. The Allergy Division establishes total IgE, as well as specific IgE versus allergens originating from food and inhaled allergens of different origins, both animal and vegetable (mites, pollen, grasses, epithelial tissues of animal origin, etc.). In total there is evidence to measure specific IgEs against more than 250 allergens.
Levels of tryptase in the blood are also measured to diagnose anaphylaxis.
A group of inhaled allergens of avian or fungal origin (for example, Aspergillus fumigatus), can cause allergic pneumonitis, with a possible evolution into severe pulmonary disease. The determination of specific IgGs versus these allergens contributes to the diagnosis of this group of conditions.
The Allergy Area has Phadia 1000 and Phadia 250 equipment to automatically conduct daily allergy testing. It is anticipated that we will soon be getting ImmunoCAP ISAC technology to determine the specific IgEs against 103 allergens, indicated in polysensitised patients.
The Autoimmune Section supports the diagnosis and monitoring of autoimmune diseases, both those specific to particular organs (such as myasthenia gravis, type I diabetes, autoimmune hepatitis, etc.) and systemic diseases (such as LES, SS and scleroderma).
The screening and characterisation of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are performed. Anti-dsDNA antibodies, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide and anti-transglutaminase antibodies are determined, required for the monitoring and diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and coeliac disease, respectively. In total there are techniques to determine autoantibodies against more than 100 antigenic specificities.
The section has equipment to automate the assembly and reading process of indirect immunofluorescence preparations, as well as specialised staff trained to read the microscope and interpret ANA, ANCA and anti-tissue immunofluorescence patterns. It also has robots for the ELISA chemiluminescent assay and immunotransfer technique for the characterisation and quantification of the different antigenic specificities. It holds an image library and collections of positive samples.
An inter-departmental functional unit that interacts with other sections in the department (immunoproteins, cell immunology, autoimmune diseases, etc.). Its objective is to monitor concentration of the biological drug, determine the presence of antibodies against the drug, study the presence of adverse effects and assess the action of the drug at the level of the immune response.
There is a catalogue of rapid response tests (response time <6 hours) in the laboratory, including Acs. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) for the diagnosis and monitoring of ANCA vasculitis, Acs. Antiphospholipids for catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome, IL-6 concentration in serum for patients with sepsis or with cytokine release syndrome after treatment with immunotherapy, concentration of IL-6 in amniotic fluid in pregnant women suspected of subclinical chorioamnionitis, serum levels of soluble CD25 in patients with haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and concentration of serum free chains in patients with suspected myeloma kidney.
Diagnosis and follow-up of patients affected by adult immunodeficiency or immune complex pathophysiology is performed. Evaluation of the immune system’s response capacity is crucial to this activity. The outpatient department monitors more than 200 patients and studies 100 new cases every year. There is a transition protocol to incorporate patients being treated by paediatrics when they reach adulthood. Consultation is based on specialised pneumology and digestive tract units, and the day hospital for treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins. Patients are also trained in how to self-administer endovenous immunoglobulins.
The aim of the Clinical Pharmacology Department is to promote a reasoned, safe, effective and efficient use of medication at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital. Together with the Catalan Institute of Pharmacology Foundation, we are a WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology Research and Investigation.
Our activities are split into healthcare and institutional support, research, and education and training.
Healthcare and institutional support
Research
Education and Training
See the website of the Catalan Institute of Pharmacology Foundation
The Institute for Diagnostic Imaging uses the most advanced techniques, and contributes to generalising the application of this type of diagnostics to improve care and the quality of image-based explorations and diagnoses.
The Institute for Diagnostic Imaging (IDI) is a state-owned company that is affiliated with Catsalut, and has one of its centres at the Vall d'Hebron Hospital. IDI manages, administers and executes image diagnostic services and nuclear medicine services.
At our hospital, we conduct explorations using: magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, nuclear medicine, PET-CT, angiography, ultrasound, mammography, densitometry, conventional radiology, and orthopantomography, among others. This centre is also charged with helping with technological innovation projects, developing research and promoting teaching, thus contributing to scientific and social progress.
IDI and Vall d'Hebron are committed to innovation. In this context, we have PET-CT equipment that allows us to analyse molecular aspects of diseases such as cancer and neurological or cardiovascular disorders. This equipment, which can carry out between 4,000 and 5,000 tests a year, also offers the possibility of introducing new radiopharmaceuticals that improve the management of diseases with a specific molecular profile.
General Hospital
Traumatology Unit
Maternity and Children's Hospital
The mission of the Dermatology Department at the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital is the diagnosis, treatment (medical and surgical) and prevention of diseases of the skin, subcutis, mucous membranes and annexes, as well as the symptoms of systemic diseases that affect the skin and systemic manifestations of skin diseases. The Department is a reference centre in complex dermatological problems that require specialised treatments.
Dermatology in Vall d'Hebron has three main areas of action:
The Department also has specialised clinics for psoriasis, cutaneous lymphomas, ampular epidermolysis, oral mucosal diseases and immuno-allergic dermatosis. We also offer diagnosis, treatment and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
The Clinical and Molecular Genetics department consists of: the Clinical Genetics Consultation, the Rare Diseases Functional Unit and the Genetics Laboratory.
The Clinical and Molecular Genetics department is a reference centre in Catalonia in the diagnosis and care of patients with rare genetic diseases, and we are also responsible for significant research and teaching activity.
Our clinical genetic consultation offers comprehensive care for patients with genetic illnesses and their families, based on diagnosis, monitoring, management and genetic counselling.
Our main objective is to create a functional unit around a single diagnostic process, covering everything from the clinical point of view to diagnostic testing, for genetic diseases, taking into account their complexity and the need for comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment.
We have been officially classified as a member of the first Network of Clinical Expertise Units (XUEC) for the treatment of rare diseases in Catalonia, which is devoted to treating genetic cognitive/behavioural illnesses in children. Created by the Catalan Health Service (CatSalut). Thanks to this recognition, the Clinical Expertise Units (UEC) lead the way in diagnosing and caring for those affected by this type of disease in accordance with the criteria and requirements established by the rare diseases protocol in Catalonia.
Care for patients and relatives in the field of genetics includes four main activities:
More specifically, the clinical activity of the genetic consultation relating to diagnosis of genetic disorders is concentrated in a series of specific functional groups that include:
We pursue several lines of research that are part of Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) research groups. This includes the Genetic Medicine Research Group and our collaboration with other groups from Oncogenetics, Mitochondrial Diseases, Endocrinology and Paediatric Pneumology.
Our teaching activity covers undergraduates, postgraduates and continuing education of professionals interested in the field, including theoretical classes, academic placements on the unit, and supervision of final year and master's degree projects. Medical staff from our department participate actively in the following master's programmes:
We also organise seminars and courses for different groups, such as nursing professionals, consultants, residents and educators.
In collaboration with the FEDER (the Spanish Rare Diseases Federation), we have set up ourWorkshops for Patients with Rare Diseases: looking beyond the disease.
Our activity at the Tobacco cessation (quitting smoking) Clinic is aimed mainly at hospital staff who smoke and who want help in giving up smoking, but also at patients and external hospital staff who want to kick the habit.
At the Tobacco Cessation Clinic, part of the Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology Department at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, we have been providing care since 1990.
Our activity covers the following areas:
At the initial visit, we conduct a specific clinical history of the patient's tobacco use and start a series of supplementary investigations, which include: a tobacco dependency test, a motivational test and we gauge the mood of the smoker using a confidence scale. We also measure lung capacity with a spirometer and check blood pressure.
Next, we provide patients with information about the processes that can help them to quit smoking and the main reasons for quitting smoking. Finally, we draw up a joint plan for quitting, bearing in mind the level of nicotine dependency, and explain the pharmacological and non-pharmacological aids available.
At this point we schedule a control visit once a week during the first month. As of the second month, visits are monthly.
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If you want to stop smoking, you can visit:
At the Microbiology Department, we seek to maximise efficiency and sustainability to meet the needs of the public. We have a broad catalogue of services with state-of-the-art tools in clinical microbiology, in terms of both diagnosis and the monitoring of microorganisms in the population and the study of epidemic outbreaks.
The Microbiology Department works in two sections and across four transversal units: The Bacteriology and Mycology Section, the Virology Section, the Molecular Biology Unit, the Serology Unit, the International Health and Parasitology Unit and the Support and Innovation Unit.
We also respond to clinical problems in the field of infectious diseases, as we provide high-quality diagnosis and the necessary resources for research projects, which is one of our main objectives.
Our team is made up mainly of university professors committed to technological innovation, quality and safety. This places us at the forefront of diagnosis, and our laboratory is a leader both nationally and internationally in several areas:
In addition, the Microbiology Department has effectively implemented a quality management system in accordance with the requirements of UNE-EN ISO standard 9001-2008.
We aim to generate knowledge with our basic and applied research projects, as well as enhancing the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching of residents, and the continuous education of all our laboratory staff. We have a microbiology research group led by Dr Tomàs Pumarola dedicated to the study of microbial aspects involved in infectious diseases.
The Microbiology Teaching Unit is run by the Microbiology Department, with participation from the Paediatric, Intensive Care, Infectious Pathology and Primary Care Departments.
The Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology Department provides individual and collective care for patients in this field. It is a public health service whose mission it is to serve the hospital community and catchment area.
The Department, which was created in 1976, has led the way in Catalonia and Spain in the organisation of systems for the epidemiological supervision of nosocomial infections, which are contracted at the hospital during the patient’s stay. It has also been a pioneer in the supervision and prevention of biological risks in healthcare staff. It is also a national reference centre for vaccinations, and stands out for its Tobacco Cessation Unit.
The Clinical Laboratory Department receives up to 6,000 requests every day, more than 15,000 samples and processes up to 60,000 results. They are the largest laboratories in Spain and among the largest in Europe in terms of volume and complexity. They can boast the most innovative technology, allowing the response time to be improved. They have the most advanced diagnostic techniques and a catalogue that includes more than 1,000 tests.
Our Department is characterised by the extensive range of techniques we perform, along with our role as an important tertiary referral hospital. Our reference population covers some 1,200,000 inhabitants, a flow of 6,000 patients a day and more than 60,000 test results, adding up to more than 16,000,000 a year. We work with 15,000 to 18,000 samples a day.
At our Clinical Laboratories we have a catalogue of tests that includes a descriptive list of all the tests we perform (these can be scheduled or required on an emergency basis), the Catalan Health Institute (ICS) code, the unit price and the maximum response time. 30% of the catalogue is carried out in the Core Lab (an automated central laboratory) with fully automated tests and 70% is done in special areas with varying degrees of complexity.
The laboratories have been designed in accordance with the latest organisational trends. They span some 8,780 m2 in total, distributed across three adjacent buildings that are home to the Biochemistry, Haematology, Microbiology, Immunology, Pathological Anatomy, Genetics and Core Lab Departments.
The Core Lab works as a central laboratory, and the Clinical Laboratories are arranged around it. This means we are able to greatly improve work flows. The Core Lab includes all the departments, except Pathological Anatomy. Our system is based on creating working areas for samples, including the Automated Sections of Urine, Serum, Haematology and Haemostasis.
The Automated Urine Section is where these samples are processed, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and also where the automated selection for the urine culture is taken.
The Automated Serum Section has a system using high-capacity automated chains that mean we can perform biochemistry, immunochemistry and serology techniques rapidly, as well as handle urgent tests.
The Automated Haematology Section has two large-capacity processing chains, for both routine and emergency tests, as well as automatic formulas and classifiers for other techniques that are carried out using the same sample, such as glycosylated haemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), etc.
The Automated Haemostasis Section has a chain for routine processing, emergencies and special coagulation tests.
In accordance with current trends in laboratories, as part of our fusion project we have chosen an integrated model in a large laboratory located in the Hospital to help improve cooperation with clinicians. This centralised system of non-analytical areas has staff responsible for: Administration, Information Systems Unit, Preanalytics and Post-Analytics, relationships with primary care centres and the Hospital, which processes 15,000 samples a day. This central laboratory is highly automated and integrates biochemical work, haematology, immunology and serology.
Our Department promotes the generation of knowledge from a range of perspectives, with increased cooperation between services, the creation of transversal platforms to take advantage of technological resources and knowledge, optimisation of the use of information technologies and differentiation between production management and value added.
Our Laboratories are equipped with the most advanced robotics and information systems technology. In the Central Laboratory, cutting-edge automation technology has been implemented, allowing us to better manage samples throughout the process, offer faster processing and increase our capacity to 120,000 daily results. This achieves our twin objectives of improving response time and achieving better patient management. Tests take from 30 to 45 minutes. Tests for urgent patients are available in two hours and tests for critical units are available in three hours.
The extent to which we have incorporated robotics provides greater security and traceability of the samples, and has required significant investment. Unifying the activity of three laboratories into one large central laboratory means savings for taxpayers and allows us to take advantage of economies of scale, meaning we use growth for our benefit.
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