10th anniversary of Institut Guttmann, one of the most advanced neurorehabilitation hospitals in the world
President of the Government of Catalonia highlights that the Institut Guttmann slogan 'Helping start new lives’ is a positive message that can help drive the country towards a future full of encouraging challenges and collective projects.
By Biocat
Ten years ago, Institut Guttmann moved to their current location in Badalona, where they have cared for 17,000 patients —children, young people and adults, mainly from Catalonia— and where a team of nearly 400 professionals work. Created in 1965 in Barcelona, Institut Guttmann was the first hospital in Spain to focus on caring for paraplegic and quadriplegic patients and has consolidated its position as an international benchmark in medico-surgical treatment and integral rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injuries, brain damage and serious neurologic disabilities. This excellence is exemplified by the fact that the center has received, for the third consecutive time, certification from the Joint Commission International (JCI). The center is currently led by Dr. Josep M. Ramírez.
President of the Government of Catalonia Artur Mas attended the tenth anniversary celebrations on Friday, accompanied by Mayor of Badalona Xavier García Albiol, Catalan Minister of Health Boi Ruiz, Secretary General of Health Roser Fernández, and Territorial Delegate for the Government Catalonia in Barcelona Salvador Jorba.
Mas praised the work done at Institut Guttmann: “The excellence of a center like this one is a great example of collaboration between the public administration and the individual initiative of the people participating.” Likewise, the President of the Government of Catalonia highlighted that the slogan Helping start new lives is a positive message that can drive the country towards a future full of encouraging challenges and collective projects.
The visit began with a tour of the hospital facilities —which occupy 17,000 square meters— where the President greeted patients and their family members. Afterwards, in the Translational Research Area, hospital researchers explained the main lines of R&D they are working on to the visiting authorities. To finish up, they went to the sports center where a game of Korfball (adapted basketball) was being held. President Mas and Mayor Garcia Albiol spontaneously joined in the patients’ game, even daring to take some shots.
More in-depth information on the history of Institut Guttmann is available in this section of their website.