IDIBAPS, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer

Strategic objectives

Primary care is the point of entry of the public to the health care system and the primary care centers are where most of the population’s health problems are resolved. In this environment, the relationship between the patient and the family doctor and nurse becomes key to preventing and curing disease and promoting healthy habits. In the area of research, the multidisciplinary and transversal nature of primary-care professionals leads to a biologic, psychologic and social approach to patients and their illnesses, both in the consulting room and in their homes. The comprehensive approach to the person and the longitudinal care throughout life makes it possible to carry out studies alone or in collaboration that are aimed at gaining knowledge of the characteristics of the population, individuals and diseases. Primary care aims to develop its own research, join the existing research networks and groups, and work in coordination with other consolidated research teams from different aspects:

• Population-based descriptive studies and studies evaluating interventions and monitoring, in an accessible, well-defined population, making use of the experience of computerized clinical records.
• Research into results in health care.
• Description of the natural history of the patient and the disease from a biologic, psychologic and social perspective.
• Studies of risk factors and preventive medicine.
• Analysis of morbidity and mortality of the most prevalent diseases.
• Studies in collaboration with the government, research organizations or groups that allow for implementation of translational research.