The Minister of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, Esther Monzón, accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Health and Director of the Canary Islands Health Service (SCS), Carlos Díaz, presided this Friday, December 13, at the awards ceremony of the I Canary Islands Awards for Health Sciences and Biomedical Research, at the Center for Initiatives of the Caja de Canarias (CICCA) in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
These awards, organized by the Ministry of Health, the SCS and the Canary Islands Health Research Institute, aim to recognize and value the effort, dedication and positive impact of the various professionals who work in the health sector of the archipelago.
During her speech, Monzón congratulated the winners for their commitment and work in the continuous improvement of healthcare in the Canary Islands. She also highlighted the relevance of humanizing public health and the constant search for innovation in the sector, which are the fundamental pillars of two of the main categories of these awards. The Minister stressed that, to "humanize the health service, we must begin by recognizing the value of those who, day after day, provide their services to citizens." As president of the jury, Monzón also thanked all the applicants who have registered for the call for awards that are born with a vocation for continuity. "Each of the proposals received reflects the great talent and commitment to research and the improvement of health in our community," she said. She also wanted to give special recognition to all the professionals who, with their daily work, contribute to achieving the goal of personalizing and raising the quality and attention of the Canary Islands Health Service.
Seven categories
The Canary Islands Awards for Health Sciences and Biomedical Research have been divided into seven categories. In the category of Best Healthcare Professional, the outstanding professionals from each hospital, health area or Primary Care have been recognized in this first edition. For its part, the Research and Innovation category has rewarded professionals or research groups in four key areas: research career, research team, scientific publication and research project.
In addition, distinctions have been awarded to eleven retired professionals in recognition of their outstanding career in the research and care fields. Tribute has also been paid posthumously to two professionals and a special award has been granted.
As for the Humanization category, it has been subdivided into six mentions to reward the best initiatives in different areas, such as hospital, Primary Care, mental health, palliative care, as well as the services that have implemented innovative therapies and care plans.
Awards for research
The award for Best Research Team went to the Diabetes and Applied Endocrinology Group of the Insular-Materno Infantil University Hospital Complex, which is led by the specialist in Endocrinology and Nutrition Ana María Wägner, and which was collected by her counterpart Rosa María Sánchez on behalf of the team. Since its creation, the group has demonstrated outstanding research productivity, being involved in 22 competitive projects since 2018.
For her part, the hematologist María Angelina Lemes, from the Gran Canaria Doctor Negrín University Hospital, collected the award for Best Scientific Publication for the elaboration of the study Subtypes of eosinophils in adults with asthma and adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, of which the pulmonologist Carlos Cabrera is the principal investigator, and which has been published in the high-impact journal Journal of Asthma and Clinical Investigation.
The National Network of Renal Function Laboratories, coordinated for ten years by the nephrologist Esteban Porrini from the Canary Islands University Hospital (HUC), received recognition for the Best Research Project, a distinction that was collected by the specialist in Clinical Analysis from the same hospital center, Sergio Luis Lima, for his development of different lines of research in relation to renal function.
As for the award for Best Research Career, it went to the head of the Otorhinolaryngology service of the Insular-Materno Infantil Hospital, Ángel Ramos, who is a tenured professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where he has stood out for his scientific work, accumulating five five-year periods and five research sections recognized by the CNEAI, currently leading the research group Medical bioengineering of neuronal and sensory stimulation.
Humanization, care and innovative therapies
Moving towards a more accessible and humanized model for professionals and patients is one of the main axes in which the Ministry of Health and the SCS are working, hence the importance of the Humanization category of these awards that has distributed six awards.
The award for Best Hospital Humanization Initiative was collected by the specialist in Internal Medicine Glenda Bautista, on behalf of the Home Hospitalization Unit (HADO) of the Doctor Negrín Hospital, of which she is responsible. This is a solid alternative to conventional hospitalization, which allows offering specialized care at home, with advantages at a better cost, greater comfort for the patient, and the reduction of risks of hospital infections.
For her part, the nurse Ana Isabel García, specialist in Family and Community Nursing, attached to the Management of Health Services of Fuerteventura, received the award for Best Humanization Initiative in Primary Care, on behalf of the Isla iHAN program (Initiative for the Humanization of Assistance to Birth and Lactation), in which she participates as a trainer, and which has become a reference on the island involving multidisciplinary teams from different care levels, in a staggered accreditation process.
The award for Best Humanization Project in Palliative Care went to the nurse Elisa Isabel Machín for her special sensitivity and involvement in the Bereavement Visits program implemented in the Lanzarote Health Area, an integral model that accompanies patients and their families from before death to the subsequent process, with the aim of preventing emotional complications in bereavement.
Regarding the Best Humanization Initiative in Mental Health, the psychiatrist Sandra Quiroz, head of the Home Hospitalization team of the Psychiatry service of the Insular-Materno Infantil University Hospital Complex, was distinguished for her Intensive Home Intervention program in Psychosis, which was launched in 2021 in order to treat patients with severe mental disorders in a more humane and close way, a pioneering initiative that has had a high impact on the autonomous community.
The Orthogeriatrics Unit of the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital won the award for Best Service with a Care Plan, which was collected by the nurse Laura Mesa, who serves as supervisor of her Internal Medicine Hospitalization plant. This unit stands out for its comprehensive approach to postoperative management, discharge planning and prevention strategies for readmissions and refractures of patients over 65 years of age with comorbidities.
Finally, the hematologist Luisa Guerra, on behalf of the Hematology and Hemotherapy service of the Doctor Negrín Hospital, received recognition for the Best Innovative Therapies for the implementation of CAR-T therapy, a gene therapy that modifies the patient's T cells (type of cell of the immune system) so that they recognize and destroy tumor cells, becoming a "living drug".
Best healthcare professionals
The award for Best Healthcare Professional was awarded by management, to give visibility to the professionals of each island. Among all of them, including doctors, nurses and orderlies, their outstanding professional work, their commitment to excellence in patient care, their vocation to transform primary care, as well as their human quality and companionship are highlighted.
Among the eight award winners are Ana María Brito for her ability to efficiently and closely manage the Obstetrics Unit of the HUC, of which she is Hospitalization supervisor; the case management nurse Encarna Nicolás, from the Lanzarote Health Services Management, dedicated to the coordination of care and personalized attention to complex cases, especially in palliative care; and the nurse Esperanza Bardanca, linked to the Emergency service of the General Hospital of Fuerteventura, where she plays an essential role as part of the team and as a trainer in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Also awarded were the head of the General and Digestive Surgery service of the Insular Materno Infantil Hospital, Juan Ramón Hernández, who has introduced various pioneering techniques in his service such as the development of esophageal surgery, laparoscopic surgery, or abdominal robotic surgery; the orderly Carlos Jesús Navarro, from the Doctor Negrín Hospital, for his high degree of involvement and the added value he provides especially in the management of admissions, where his ability to reassure and alleviate the anxiety of patients facing hospitalization stands out; the cardiologist Julio Hernández, for his long career linked to the Cardiology area of the La Candelaria Hospital, which began in 1997, becoming head of the service since 2011, in addition to his remarkable work as a professor at the University of La Laguna, and his research work with more than 60 scientific publications, most of them in high-impact journals.
Félix Felipe, specialist in Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the General Hospital of La Palma, for facilitating the transition of the old Virgen de las Nieves hospital to the current one 25 years ago, and as one of the doctors who was key to overcoming the health situation caused by covid on the island; the pediatrician María Teresa Cotonat, from the Health Area of El Hierro for more than 25 years, for her involvement in the health development of the island, where she is a reference as a doctor and pediatrician; and, finally, for his career and performance to Miguel Díaz, specialist in Family Medicine of the Primary Care Management of Gran Canaria, who, for more than three decades, has developed a multifaceted career that combines clinical practice, teaching, health management and research, and has been linked mainly to the Health Centers of Vecindario and El Doctoral. Finally, Nicolás Fernando Bello, collected this same recognition on behalf of the Nursing Collective of Primary Care Link of Tenerife, for their commitment to guarantee quality care, dignity and continuous accompaniment.
Special Mention to Retirees
One of the most emotional moments of the I Canary Islands Awards for Health Sciences and Biomedical Research came with the recognition of the research work of different professionals already retired. These awards went to José Carlos Rodríguez, who managed to position the Negrología service of the Doctor Negrín Hospital as one of the national references, and whose interest in research led him to carry out numerous studies on topics such as diabetic kidney disease, arterial hypertension and dialysis therapies, leaving a valuable legacy in scientific publications. His counterpart at the HUC, the nephrologist Armando Torres, who in 1995 created and accredited the Research Unit of the center, which was later recognized as a Support Unit by the Carlos III Health Institute, was also highlighted. The specialist in Intensive Medicine Jesús Villar, a reference in clinical research and one of the promoters of the creation of the Research Unit of the La Candelaria Hospital, was also awarded.
Also as emeritus, professionals who have developed at the care level were highlighted, such as Arturo Gómez, a medical specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Doctor Negrín Hospital, whose work has been crucial to develop effective rehabilitation programs in different pathologies; the oncologist José Norberto Batista, in charge of creating and developing the Medical Oncology Unit at the HUC and professor at the University of La Laguna, who has published more than a hundred scientific publications; Manuel Sosa, specialist in Internal Medicine and Neurology, for his work as head of the Bone Metabolic Unit of the Insular-Materno Infantil Hospital from its creation in 1989 until September 2022; or the specialist in Psychiatry and Neurology Julio Ramón Santiago from the Doctor José Molina Orosa University Hospital, a pioneer in the field of psychiatry and mental health in the Canary Islands, whose work has profoundly transformed health care in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
Likewise, the specialist in Nuclear Medicine Ana Allende, from the La Candelaria Hospital, who has combined her care work with teaching at the University of La Laguna, and is known for her research on the use of advanced technologies such as PET-CT in the diagnosis of complex diseases, including neurological and oncological disorders, and the surgeon Eusebio Jiménez, from the University Hospital of La Palma, where he has led for more than 25 years the development of the specialty in the hospital center, of which he was head of service, and who played an essential role in the organization of the hospital center during the covid-19 pandemic, were awarded.
Finally, the specialist in Family and Community Medicine Tomás González, from the Primary Care Management of Gran Canaria, was awarded for his contribution to the conceptualization, creation and implementation of a multiprofessional team specialized in palliative care, an initiative that has significantly improved the care of patients in the terminal phase in the Basic Health Zones of southeastern Gran Canaria, establishing a model of comprehensive and humanized care, and José Félix Reyes, his counterpart attached to the Primary Care Management of Tenerife, was highlighted for his work in the implementation of family care models adapted to the characteristics of the population, achieving a more effective and personalized care.
Posthumously
In what is the first edition of these health awards, a special tribute has been paid posthumously to the specialists in Nephrology and Cardiology of the Dr. Negrín Hospital, María Celia Plaza and Alfonso Medina Fernández Aceytuno, two references in their specialties in the archipelago, and whose honors were collected by Celia Plaza's son, Javier Rodríguez, and Alfonso Medina's colleagues, Eduardo Caballero and Magdalena Pérez.
Extraordinary award
The event culminated with the tribute to Marcos Gómez, specialist in Palliative Care of the Doctor Negrín Hospital and one of the most outstanding world references in his discipline. Gómez Sancho received the Extraordinary Award of the first edition of the Canary Islands Awards for Health Sciences and Biomedical Research, for being the promoter of the Strategy in Palliative Care of the Canary Islands.
Jury
The first awards of the Canary Islands Health have had the participation and assessment of prominent figures at institutional and professional level. Among them are Esther Monzón, Minister of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands and president of the jury; Carlos Díaz, Deputy Minister of Health and director of the SCS, who has acted as vice president of the jury; and the general directors of Mental Health and Addictions, of Assistance Programs and of Patient and Chronicity, Fernando Gómez-Pamo, Antonia María Pérez and Rita Tristancho, respectively. Representatives of the Canary Islands Health Research Institute, such as the director of Management, María Gómez, the scientific director, Fernando Gutiérrez, and the head of R&D&I, Santiago Sánchez, have also been part of the jury.
