Ángel Sanz highlights the commitment of the Government of Aragon to quality care and research in nursing.

The Health Minister yesterday inaugurated the 2nd Conference on Excellence in Good Practices (BPSO) and Research Projects in Care, organized by the Zaragoza II Health SectorI

More than 240 healthcare professionals participated in this meeting, which focused on scientific evidence, innovation, and the humanization of care.

The health adviser, Angel Sanz, has inaugurated today the Second Conference on Excellence in Best Practices for Healthcare Organizations and Research Projects in Care, Organized by the Zaragoza Health Sector III at the CaixaForum Zaragoza BuildingA meeting that has brought together more than 240 healthcare professionals, mainly from the field of nursing, to focus on scientific evidence, innovation and the humanization of care.

This initiative was developed within the framework of the international BPSO® (Best Practice Spotlight Organization) program, which focuses on implementing evidence-based care. During his address, the Minister of Health emphasized the Aragonese healthcare system's commitment to excellence, innovation, and applied research in healthcare, highlighting the crucial role of healthcare professionals in the continuous improvement of patient care. 

“The Government of Aragon is committed to a healthcare system where quality of care is a priority and where the patient is at the center,” Sanz affirmed. To achieve this, “we must give research its rightful place. Knowledge must not remain merely a project, but rather become real practice and be integrated into the daily operations of our healthcare centers,” she stated at the opening of the conference, which also included the participation of the manager of the Zaragoza III Health Sector, Rafael Lapeña Gil; the president of the Official College of Nursing of Zaragoza, Teresa Salamero Rodríguez; and the scientific director of the Aragon Health Research Institute, Daniel Oros Lopez.

The following were presented at the meeting 21 jobs selected from the 35 projects received, focused on areas such as the implementation of good clinical practices, the humanization of care, knowledge transfer and innovation in health.

In this regard, the Minister of Health has highlighted the importance of humanizing healthcare, stating, “Caring is not just about applying procedures; it is also about listening, supporting, and understanding.” He emphasized innovative initiatives that strengthen care to move towards a modern and participatory healthcare model, in which people have an active role: “An informed patient, with a voice, with the ability to participate in their process and to make the best decisions,” he added.

Sanz Barea congratulated the Zaragoza III Health Sector on its recognition as a Center Committed to Excellence in Care, awarded in 2025, and encouraged the professionals to continue advancing along this path. Finally, he emphasized that investing in research, innovation, and care means “investing in health and well-being for all citizens,” reaffirming the Government of Aragon's commitment to a high-quality public healthcare system.

Second Conference on Excellence in Best Practices for Healthcare Organizations and Research Projects in Care

This is an initiative developed within the framework of the international program BPSO® (Best Practice Spotlight Organization), aimed at the implementation of care based on scientific evidence. 

The opening lecture was given by Nieves López Ibort, a nurse at the Lozano Blesa University Clinical Hospital, PhD from the University of Zaragoza, with master's degrees in Health Sciences and in Human Resources Management, an expert in Management, principal investigator of the ELIGES Aragón Group, and a member of the Scientific Committee of CECBE Aragón. Entitled “Evolving is not optional. You drive the change, evidence determines the outcome,” López Ibort addressed the importance of moving towards a clinical practice in which scientific evidence guides decision-making and the continuous improvement of care.

In addition, several nursing professionals from the Miguel Servet University Hospital have been recognized with two awards for their research projects. The first prize was awarded to the study entitled “In-hospital aspiration: the price of not detecting dysphagia,” developed by Josep Oriol Casanovas Marsal, María Jesús Chopo Alcubilla, María Isabel Tercero Navarro, Gema Lucía Gracia Casado, Cristina Peña Ollé, Eva Santamaría Luna, and Laura Lafarga Molina. This work highlights the importance of early detection of dysphagia as a key measure for preventing serious complications associated with aspiration in hospitalized patients.

The second prize went to the work “Knowledge assessment in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: keys to designing a patient school”, carried out by Pilar Corsino Roche, Josep Oriol Casanovas Marsal, Patricia Compains Gracia, Ana Isabel Cuadrado Martín and Yolanda Casao Casao.

The event also featured an expert presentation by Esther Gómez, a nurse specializing in out-of-hospital emergencies and urgent care, a science communicator, teacher, associate professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid, CEO of Ia Academia, and co-founder of Sanitalent. She is the creator of the project @myfavoritenurseGómez, author of the book From Head to Toe and contributor to various media outlets, delivered the presentation “From Evidence to Nursing Culture: How to Implement, Communicate, and Transform Practice,” which focused on the need to communicate, make visible, and transform nursing practice based on evidence.

The closing ceremony was attended by the Director General of Care and Humanization, Estíbaliz Tolosa Tamayo, along with the Directors of Nursing for the Zaragoza III Sector: Ana Pelleja Guardiola, Director of Nursing at the Lozano Blesa University Clinical Hospital; María José Peña Gascón, Director of Primary Care Nursing for the Zaragoza III Sector; and Ana Belén Morales Rozas, Director of Nursing at the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center.

Source: Department of Health, Government of Aragon