Since 2015, the hospital has developed an innovative and increasingly proactive model, based on the presence of dedicated professionals across all care settings and the direct involvement of clinical and nursing teams.
A mature model on a par with international centres of excellence
Recording around 200 ADR reports per year places Clínic at maturity levels comparable to those of leading international tertiary referral hospitals. These centres manage highly complex conditions and require robust pharmacovigilance systems to ensure treatment safety.
This sustained growth has been made possible by multidisciplinary collaborative work and a consolidated institutional structure which, since 2023, has operated as a Programme after functioning as a Technical Committee between 2020 and 2023.
Why is pharmacovigilance important?
The aim of pharmacovigilance is to identify new or unexpected risks associated with medicines, particularly those that are rare or severe. The most effective system for doing so is the spontaneous reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs), a legal obligation for healthcare professionals and a practice that enhances patient safety and quality of care.
These reports make it possible to confirm ADRs, record visible alerts in the electronic health record, and guide diagnostic and therapeutic decisions, such as adjusting treatment in cases of drug allergy.
With this goal in mind, the Medical Directorate promoted the creation of a multidisciplinary programme integrating the departments of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy, Allergy, Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Dermatology, Immunology, Nursing Management, and Clinical Quality and Safety.
A solid structure present across all hospital settings
The PCFV has built a stable, cross‑cutting network that includes:
- Active pharmacovigilance pathways in multiple care areas.
- Clinical representation from all Institutes, Centres and Areas, with support from Pharmacy teams across all settings for ADR detection and reporting.
- A key role for nursing staff, particularly bedside nurses, who are among the main reporters.
Bringing pharmacovigilance closer to clinical teams and wards
The programme has evolved towards a model much closer to everyday clinical practice. Far from the traditional approach focused on statistical analysis from an office, the team works to embed medication safety into routine care, providing direct support to professionals and facilitating the early detection of potential adverse reactions.
“This approach helps improve medication safety and ensures safer access to treatments for all hospital patients,” explains Joaquín Saez, secretary of the programme.
A milestone that reinforces commitment to patient safety
Reaching 1,000 reports is not only a turning point, but also a stimulus to further expand the programme’s activity and strengthen the hospital’s culture of safety.
“The PCFV team remains open to new awareness‑raising, training and communication initiatives that help extend active pharmacovigilance to all professionals,” concludes Joan Bartra, Programme Coordinator and Head of the Hospital’s Allergy Department.
