The results of the VII edition of the “Top 20 Hospitals” that measure the quality and economic efficiency of the Spanish hospitals have been presented by the Ministry of Health.
This time, the sample included 116 public -52% of the hospitals included in the National healthcare system- and 27 private hospitals, which have voluntarily accepted to be evaluated by a consultancy.
The ranking shows that ten out of the first twenty hospitals listed are located in Barcelona . Clínica Corachan leads the private hospital ranking while Hospital Clínic, Bellvitge and Vall D’Hebron hold the first positions as public hospitals.
Fieldwork Implications
The fact that Barcelona has such a number of reference centres explains why it is so frequently selected for international healthcare projects. Hospitals that appear at the top of the ranking have a proven record in dealing successfully with complex specialities that required a high degree of technology and specialised training.
These organizations are at the forefront of research and their specialists are, to say the least, well informed about the latest treatments. For fieldwork purposes, considering an international perspective, there are two important conclusions to be drawn upon Barcelona :
· It is a place that shouldn’t be left aside in any local or multi-country healthcare research sample.
· It is the place of many national and regional Opinion Leaders; most of the pharmaceutical companies select hospitals in Barcelona to carry out clinical trials
