FIATC has announced that its Clínica Diagonal hospital in Esplugues de Llobregat will operate as Diagonal University Hospital, a change intended to add university teaching, research and innovation to its existing healthcare work.

For patients using the hospital, FIATC says the model will expand clinical capacity and improve care pathways. The centre has also recently opened a new Outpatient Consultations building, which it says will increase consultation capacity and make appointments and internal routes more efficient.

Teaching partnership began in 2023

The university hospital status formalises a collaboration between FIATC and Universitat Abat Oliba CEU that began in 2023. The partnership brings university teaching into the hospital's day-to-day activity and supports practical training for future healthcare professionals.

“This step allows us to continue expanding the centre’s capabilities to offer patients increasingly advanced medicine, without losing the close and personal care that characterises us,” said FIATC president Joan Castells.

FIATC said the new identity is intended to help the Esplugues de Llobregat centre attract staff and transfer research and teaching knowledge into clinical practice.

Accreditation score of 88.76%

The hospital said it holds accreditation from the Generalitat de Catalunya, Catalonia’s regional government, as an acute hospital care centre. This accreditation assesses standards of quality, safety and professional competence for hospitals treating patients who need short-term active treatment.

  • Overall accreditation result: 88.76%.
  • Strategy and patient-results category: 100%.
  • Leadership category: 96.39%.

Medical director Dr Juan Ramon González said the results reflected the work of the hospital’s professionals and the organisation’s care model. Operations director Jaime Liz said the change would require stronger internal coordination and would make it easier to integrate practical teaching into daily hospital activity.

Reported by totbarcelona.cat, Universitat Abat Oliba CEU, Tot Barcelona.

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