The Torrevieja Health Department has been giving the best of itself every day for the last 12 years. I am very proud of this determined spirit, which has helped it to overcome all barriers: thanks to the efforts and sterling work of all of the professionals at Torrevieja, we’ve come a long way. The continued commitment of our team has made the department an international landmark in healthcare. Indeed, Torrevieja forms part of the network of the world’s best hospitals, having achieved Joint Commission International accreditation.
Last week, I visited Torrevieja to celebrate this special anniversary with the team. I would hate to miss the celebration of yet another year dedicated to public service. I always say that Torrevieja is much more than just another healthcare department in the Valencian Community’s public network. Torrevieja is at the cutting edge, synonymous with innovation and progress. Read more here: ‘El Hospital de Torrevieja cumple 12 años como uno de los más eficientes’.
At the anniversary celebrations, I had the chance to talk to many people: officials, patients, friends and professionals. To our healthcare professionals, I wanted to express my sincerest admiration for the achievements and recognition we have obtained in such a short time, and transmit to them my ambition for us to be better every day, because unfortunately, at this moment in time, the model of public-private collaboration in healthcare has its own mountains to climb. And at Ribera Salud, we’ll keep climbing, always with a focus on good results. Those results can only be achieved through our efforts and determination. It is true that this is no easy task: many groups are still clinging to the past, to old slogans and principles, when what is required is a true commitment to the general public. So be it.
But I believe that organizations, people and politicians have to strive to “be the best” in order to “offer the best” to others. And it is vital that this spirit of continual improvement is sustained beyond these last 12 years. Because the day we lose sight of our ambition to be the best is the day we become like all the others. And the day that we turn into one of the crowd, everything we’ve achieved over these years would have been in vain.
All of the professionals at Torrevieja can be proud of everything they have done, are doing and will do in the future. We need only look at the results: see the audit performed by the Court of Auditors of the Valencian Government, to which I will dedicate a separate blog post in the near future. The results speak for themselves. We wouldn’t expect anything less from the excellent work of all of the professionals in the Torrevieja Health Department, who work with enthusiasm and vision to create a better health system than the one we have today.
Recently, data has been published on waiting lists during the first quarter of this year in the Valencia, and the figures are alarming: average waiting times for operations stand at between 90 and 121 days. That’s why at Ribera Salud we have placed the Torrevieja and Vinalopó health departments at the disposal of the Ministry of Health to collaborate on reducing these waiting lists in the Province of Alicante, improving service quality and the wellbeing of all citizens.
It is not always true that comparisons are best avoided. In this case, I am convinced that, in the end, people will be able to value and recognize our model of healthcare, and call for it to continue in the future, preserving its many achievements to date.
