
In line with the transparency policy at the SJD Barcelona Children Hospital, data regarding the centre's activity is freely available to the public.
A look back at 2022
In the name of transparency, we make our data from the last five years public: data regarding our yearly activities, our work as a healthcare and research facility, and also other areas of interest.
Year milestones

In 2022, our new healthcare facility was brought into operation, designed to be able to offer comprehensive care to pediatric oncology patients.

In December 2021, we finished the first phase of construction on La Casa de Sofía, an intermediate healthcare facility for highly complex pediatric patients with chronic illnesses which also offers palliative care and support during the end of life process.

A national-level project that aims to offset the current shortcomings of the health system with regard to comprehensive care for patients with rare diseases and their family. It promotes the establishing of a national network of pediatric-focused healthcare facilities, led by SJD.

In 2022, we incorporated augmented reality into several areas of healthcare. This new technology allows for improvements in both safety and quality of services rendered, as it facilitates more technical accuracy and a reduced reintervention rate.

The SJD is the first hospital in Catalonia that is authorised to create 3D models for complex surgical planning. In 2022, we incorporated new surgical indications into the programme, such as skull base surgery, renal tumours and fronto-orbital unilateral advancement.

We have launched our at-home pediatric cancer care programme. This one-of-a-kind programme in Catalonia seeks to improve patient quality of life, reduce the psychological impact of prolonged hospitalisation, increase time spent with the family and promote adequate socialisation of the child.

Thanks to the support of CatSalut, we offer high-intensity therapeutic healthcare at-home. It is for young people in unstable situations or for those with social and/or family factors that require a more comprehensive approach, so that their clinical, social and familial needs are met.

Various initiatives promote ongoing professional development of various profiles: referral nurse, advanced practice nurse or clinical assistants, professionals working in communicative skill simulation, Youth Council coordination, transitioning to adult healthcare facilities and in the Gender Identity Unit.

The SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital led the organisation efforts for the 54th Annual Conference of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP). It took place in September and over 3,000 pediatric oncology specialists from all over the world got involved.
In 2022, the “Hospital sin dolor” [Hospital without pain] programme consolidated the role of the pain nurse, who acts as case manager for chronic pain patients. This figure will perform daily follow-up of patients with intense post-surgical pain and provide direct support to sedative-anesthetic procedures.
2022 saw the implementation of various protocols to combat chronic pain, such as: creating a dedicated website for chronic pain patients; offering an initial multidisciplinary assessment of the patients; or pilot testing integrative medicine for chronic pain. We have also successfully carried out a pilot test for the electronic pain map on some pediatric and maternity hospital wards.
More than 300 patients and families have taken part in various in-person patient experience projects. Through the Family Board, 19 mothers and fathers of patients in the Hospital tackle cross-departmental, strategic questions, essentially acting as an audit board for the entire organisation.
Furthermore, in September 2022, a renewed Youth Board was launched, made up of 17 Hospital patients. This board also helps to improve key protocols in areas like the Adolescent Department and continues to lead the way in establishing communication that is centred on their needs.
Scientific output at the SJD Research Institute (IRSJD) has continued its upward trend in 2022. As a result, our impact factor score has increased again this year, reaching 4,685 points – the Hospital's highest score ever.
Of particular interest are our more than 100 articles published in the first decile, among which are significant publications in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet Microbe.
Fundraising has returned to close to pre-pandemic levels. In 2022, we held 278 charity events, raising around 1.5 million Euros. From large donors, we have raised 2.17 million Euros. We have also organised our own events such as the Festival Jardins de Pedralbes Charity Night, in which 35 businesses took part. Altogether, the Infancy Obra Social raised over 9.5 million Euros.
In 2022, we successfully implemented a new IT system to handle international patient requests (CRM), which has led to a significant improvement in our response times to families and patient referral bodies.
Furthermore, we have been able (for the first time ever) to measure international patient satisfaction rates in a targeted manner, scoring an average of 8.9 out of 10 in request management and 9.4 out of 10 for professional healthcare provision in hospital.
Notably, there is also a positive score for patient and family care in general, with an overall NPS score above 70 and over 400 messages of thanks, which, once again, far exceed the number of complaints for the year.
Other notable projects
Our activities during the first semester of 2022 were hugely impacted by the rise in pediatric COVID-19 cases, which hindered our routine activity more than expected.
Conventional healthcare activity
Our activities during the first semester of 2022 were hugely impacted by the rise in pediatric COVID-19 cases, which hindered our routine activity more than expected.
However, during the second half of the year, once the wave of pediatric infections was under control, we saw a significant rise in out-of-season respiratory illnesses brought on by other pathogens. The combination of these factors resulted in a slightly lower hospitalisation rate than expected, and therefore, a higher outpatient and emergency care demand.
In any case, the patients we attended were just as complex. Another important figure is that of our telemedicine programme, reaching 40% remote outpatient activity. We also continued our international cooperation efforts despite the pandemic, with more than 4,100 patient requests in 2022.
By choosing to specialise in pediatric healthcare, we have made several huge steps in the field, such as the creation of comprehensive, monographic healthcare facilities like the Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona and La Casa de Sofía.
Highly-specialised care provision
By choosing to specialise in pediatric healthcare, we have made several huge steps in the field, such as the creation of comprehensive, monographic healthcare facilities like the Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona and La Casa de Sofía.
Our offering of high-complexity procedures has been widened thanks to the incorporation of augmented reality in surgical procedures, the approval of 3D surgical planning and new at-home healthcare programmes in high-complexity oncology and mental health cases.
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation system: The Pediatric Neuromodulation Unit has incorporated a new transcranial magnetic stimulation system into their unit. This new diagnostic and therapeutic technology can generate a 3D model of internal brain structures, creating a functional map of the eloquent motor and linguistic regions. This map can be transferred to the surgical planning station and then, if needs be, to surgical neuronavigation. From a therapeutic perspective, this technology is used to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms, neurodevelopmental symptoms, and those arising from neurovascular damage.
- Consolidating the role of the hospital pediatrician: The hospital pediatrician assumes responsibility for medical decisions made about patients admitted to the surgical department. In 2022, we evaluated the proof of concept carried out in the neurosurgery, general surgery and orthopedics and traumatology wards. The results support the suitability and proposed expansion of this new care programme that seeks to provide surgical patients with comprehensive care and which focuses a large part of its efforts on managing pain and anxiety.
- Sports medicine as a therapeutic option: The Sports Medicine Department, created in 2014, offers targeted services for both the general population and also amateur sports players. It involves the use of physical activity and sport as a preventative and therapeutic measure in healthcare. As such, having a sports therapist's perspective at the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital can only be beneficial to patients and staff. During 2022, this department supported and worked alongside several other clinical departments, both on a preventative and a therapeutic level: Endocrinology, Women’s Health, Cardiology, Mental Health, Oncology and Health Education.
The Hospital's various initiatives and programmes go beyond a patient’s medical needs.
Atención integral
El Hospital da respuesta a los pacientes más allá de sus necesidades biomédicas con diversas iniciativas.
Guía del adolescente para la transición a hospital de adultos
El Hospital ha publicado la Guía Digital de Transición A10!, una herramienta para ayudar a los pacientes pediátricos y a sus familias en la transición al hospital de adultos. Hasta octubre de 2022 se han realizado 1.497 transferencias, de las que el 50 % corresponden a pacientes con enfermedades minoritarias. Los principales centros receptores han sido los hospitales Clínic de Barcelona, Bellvitge, Vall d'Hebron y Sant Pau.
Durante el año 2022 se han formalizado nuevas alianzas con hospitales de adultos (Parc Taulí, Mataró o Granollers, entre otras) y otras instituciones (Aspace). Entre otras acciones destacadas, se han elaborado protocolos específicos y se han llevado a cabo visitas conjuntas hospital pediátrico - hospital de adultos - paciente y familia. También se ha realizado una evaluación del programa desde tres perspectivas complementarias: experiencia del paciente, experiencia del profesional y visión institucional, lo que ha permitido establecer un plan de acción de mejora.
Atención espiritual (SAER)
El Servicio de Atención Espiritual y Religiosa (SAER) ha seguido desplegando su labor asistencial y de difusión del conocimiento durante el año 2022. En el ámbito asistencial, ha incrementando la actividad en las áreas de mayor complejidad del Hospital, como neonatos, La Casa de Sofía, Crónicos y Paliativos (C2P2) y también en el PCCB. Es destacable el gran avance que ha experimentado la integración de la atención espiritual como una dimensión básica en la práctica asistencial. Asimismo, el SAER coordina dos programas presenciales de meditación en el centro y el podcast Sonidos del Silencio SJD, desarrollado con la colaboración del Departamento de Márqueting y Comunicación. Finalmente, el SAER del Hospital despliega una gran labor docente y de investigación.
Trabajo social
El Servicio de Trabajo Social ha atendido a un total de 3.545 familias (11.763 visitas). A través de la Obra Social de Sant Joan de Déu, ha prestado apoyo económico a 983 familias mediante ayudas de cafetería, transporte, intérpretes, tratamientos de ortodoncia u otras necesidades derivadas de la salud y no cubiertas por la Administración pública.
Asimismo, se ha establecido un convenio de colaboración entre el Hospital, el Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge y diferentes asociaciones dedicadas pacientes con distrofia hereditaria de retina a fin de prestar atención social a las familias con hijos afectados por esta enfermedad. Por otra parte, se ha realizado la I edición del curso de formación Infancia y salud: atención social y sanitaria en el contexto hospitalario (Aula de Pediatría SJD).
Hospital Amic
- Child Life: Durante el año 2022, el Servicio de Child Life ha atendido a 2.333 pacientes y familias en el hospital y a 111 pacientes y familias en La Casa de Sofía. El equipo ha iniciado también su atención en el PCCB, donde se ha integrado la figura Child Life en el equipo, participando en los huddles de hospitalización, y en el pase de Hospital de Día. Se han desplegado acciones del Hospital Amic, (arte, música y payasos) y, como novedad, se ha introducido la terapia asistida con perros en el ámbito de la Consulta Externa. Se han iniciado también actividades grupales de música y arte, complementarias al programa “La Fábrica de Magia” de Voluntarios. Además de la incorporación de la magia como recurso terapéutico, tanto en las plantas de Hospitalización infantil como en el PCCB, se ha iniciado la práctica de yoga con niños con retinoblastoma en la UCA. En La Casa de Sofía, también se ha desarrollado el programa con música (destacamos el pediatra violinista), arte y payasos, además de talleres de juego desarrollados por voluntarios.
- Voluntariado: El equipo de voluntariado ha incrementado su dotación hasta las 300 personas, consolidando su labor en La Casa de Sofía y en el PCCB. En 2022 ha puesto en marcha algunas nuevas acciones y programas como: "Hospitality”, para detectar necesidades y participar en la acogida de los pacientes; "Jóvenes voluntarios de verano", dirigido a jóvenes entre 16 y 18 años para dar servicio al PCCB; "Música en el hall", gracias al que estudiantes de música, pacientes, familias y profesionales amenizan semanalmente con música la entrada al hospital, o la celebración de la 1ª edición de editores de libros inspirados en experiencias vitales vividas en el Hospital. Destaca especialmente el proyecto “La Fábrica de Magia”, que surge con el propósito de garantizar el derecho al juego de los pacientes. Para ello, voluntarios y colaboradores destinan su tiempo y habilidades para impulsar actividades lúdicas. Entre febrero y octubre de 2022, han realizado 88 talleres, con la participación de 598 pacientes y 615 padres y madres.
Getting professionals involved in departmental organisation and decision-making is a fundamental requirement.
Participative, efficient organisation
Getting professionals involved in departmental organisation and decision-making is a fundamental requirement.
Flat Management-style system
- Huddles strategy, a system that uses short meetings to facilitate multidisciplinary discussion of a situation in any of the 23 departments across the Hospital.
- Grupo Operaciones Asistenciales [Healthcare Operations Group] (GOA), a coordination effort in which professionals from various healthcare fields come together to discuss, agree on and implement processes, with a view to both activity level and quality. This model has been replicated in larger areas such as Mental Health and the PCCB.
- Healthcare hub, consisting of weekly meetings with upper management and heads of departments, nursing, and the Planning, Patient Experience and Quality, and International departments.
Clinical safety
- Promoting safe practice (considering aspects ranging from correct patient identification to medication safety).
- Prevention and control of infection (with hand-washing being a key element).
- Safe surgery (to plan out and ensure adherence to checklists during scheduled surgical procedures).
- Safety incident report management (with a decentralised model, multidisciplinary analysis and professional response).
EMC2
The EMC2 improvement model has been just as active, with 2022 seeing new additions to the management teams of both Innovation and People and Values, bringing fresh perspectives to our work. One of our newest innovations has been incorporating quicker methodology to develop smaller-scale projects.
We have workde on 59 improvement plans in line with the EMC2 model, ranging from the Respir programme for families, to care in A&E.
Budget balancing
Yearly billing in 2022 has reached 299 million Euros, with a continually balanced cash flow. Staff pay has increased by 3.5%. This increase in costs has been financed by a rise in CatSalut tariffs (+3.49%).
Diversifying funding
Our strategy to diversify our funding routes helps us keep a balanced cash flow: launching the Hospital Friend programme, renovating the technology park, maintaining high levels of research activity, and running charitable projects.
Research and clinical trials, as well as innovation, have been crucial in our progress as a centre in 2022.
New knowledge
Research and clinical trials, as well as innovation, have been crucial in our progress as a centre in 2022.
Creation of the Data Office
The Hospital has created the Data Office (DAM&GO), a body to manage the efficient organisation of Hospital data in response to growing healthcare, administrative and investigative data needs.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Fundraising at the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital places a lot of importance on donations to help pay for programmes that do not receive public funding. In total, over 10 million Euros raised from donations have gone towards various care humanisation projects, improving infrastructure, healthcare projects, research and international cooperation.
The SJD Barcelona Children Hospital carried out several international cooperation initiatives as part of its charitable efforts.
International cooperation
The SJD Barcelona Children Hospital carried out several international cooperation initiatives as part of its charitable efforts.
Twinning programme with the Hospital Saint John of God in Sierra Leone
Thanks to the support of particular entities, special donors, and also the teaming programme for our own Hospital employees, this year we have been able to bring the following programmes to life:
- Sponsor a child in Sierra Leone.
- External residency pediatrics rotations at the Lunsar Hospital.
- The “Africa Smiles” programme.
- Nutritional rehabilitation programme.
- ICARIA research project.
Cuida’m Programme
In 2022, despite facing several travel difficulties relating to visa issues, 14 children were able to receive treatment thanks to the Cuida’m Programme. The children we treated came from countries such as: Sierra Leone, Nicaragua, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritius, Tanzania, Senegal, Zanzibar, Venezuela and Peru.
The PCCB Charity Fund Programme
This programme allowed us to welcome three new patients from Cameroon, Colombia and Ghana in 2022. Furthermore, we were able to treat a baby from Indonesia with bilateral retinoblastoma: the child's eye had already been enucleated, and there were no treatment options in their home country.
Consolidation of our charity Odontology office
In 2022, our charity odontology office has been providing dental care to children and adults in vulnerable social and economic situations.
Other partnership programmes
- Collaboration on the pediatric healthcare and oxygen use training project in Morocco.
- Mother-and-child education project on the Ivory Coast.
- Erasmus+ Project HITIHE.
Occupational risk prevention and sustainable development goals are at the centre of this field.
Sustainability
Occupational risk prevention and sustainable development goals are at the centre of this field.
Alignment with SDGs
2022 saw the first phase of this project come to life, with our focus being set on two goals: compiling our in-progress programmes that are related to any of the UN 17 SDGs for the 2030 Agenda; and Benchmarking the SDGs of other entities.
This initial analysis has allowed us to see that the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital is carrying out many programmes that already align with the SDGs: 179 actions counted, 143 of which are already in-effect. Furthermore, in addition to the SDG that most aligns with the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital, SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), we have proposed the integration of a further five SDGs (12, 17, 10, 4 and 8) which we consider to be most relevant for Hospital involvement.
Assessing psychosocial risk and renewing environmental certifications
In 2022, after two years of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, we set our sights on getting back to normality with our Occupational Risk Prevention activities.
Professional recognition
Once again, now for the 19th time, the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital - Hospital Clínic Group has been named in the TOP 20 awards in the large regional and national hospitals category.
The Hospital received the BSH 2022 prize in the “Best Mother-and-Child Hospitals” category. The Best Spanish Hospitals Awards (BSH) recognise clinical management for ongoing improvement in public and private Spanish hospitals.
These awards promote a new model of healthcare assessment based on patient care as a core focus organisations and the healthcare system (Value Based Healthcare).
The humanitarian work of the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital in Sierra Leone has been recognised by the Sierra Leone government and by AdQualis.
She is the head of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Unit in the Oncology Department, and a leading professional in CART-19 immunotherapy.
The Casa de Sofía and the Únicas network have both been given a FEDER 2022 Recognition award by the Spanish Federation for Rare Diseases in recognition of the innovative initiatives that contribute to the ensuring equal access to resources and get affected patients involved in the process.
Results
Healthcare activity
- Accreditations: 21 ERN, 30 CSUR and 9 UEC.
- 420 new patients attended to at the Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona.
- More than 19,000 active patients with a rare disease.
- 3,542 requests from international patients (+10%).
- 1,272 patients benefitting from the transition to adult hospital programme.
- 742 complex patients transferred by SJD pediatric EMS staff.
- 70.52% of patients would recommend our hospital (NPS score).
- 309 patients and families directly involved in projects, 44,357 surveys answered.
Research and innovation
- 617 scientific articles with a total impact factor of 4,685. 58% of publications appear in first-quartile journals.
- 269 clinical trials.
- 294 active competitive projects, of which 46 are international.
- 10.1 million Euros raised for Hospital projects and research initiatives.
- 5 patents granted.
Teaching
- 373 education initiatives with 16,232 students from SJD Education.
- 178 in-person simulation courses (including short on-site sessions).
- 3 advanced nurse practitioner (ANP).
Corporate Social Responsibility
- 278 Hospital charity events raising 1.5 million Euros.
- 10 million Euros in donations altogether.
- More than 10,000 patients attended to through the Sierra Leone twinning programme.
- 179 actions that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 143 of which are already in action.