The 43rd edition of the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC) Conference was held in Donostia, Spain, from 11-13 May 2023.
This annual gathering brought together thousands of family medicine doctors, along with other healthcare professionals such as public health doctors, medical administrators, nurses, and pharmacists, all associated with Primary Care.
With the theme “Rowing as a team,” the conference aimed to highlight the significance of teamwork in Primary Care and the need for collaboration among healthcare actors to provide comprehensive patient-centred care. The event provided an excellent platform for professionals in the Primary Care sector to connect, exchange ideas, and establish valuable contacts.
Participants dedicated their time and efforts to explore proposals and solutions that aim to improve the healthcare system and enhance the quality of patient care. Experienced professionals contributed their knowledge, opinions, and reflections through enriching masterclasses and debates, while younger profiles offered their vision of the future and helped identify challenges and areas for change. Attendees reflected on the current critical moment and discussed the necessary actions for the future of Primary Care, involving professionals, managers, and political decision-makers.
One of the conference’s three thematic lines focused on research in Primary Care under the title “Navigating in uncertainty: research in Primary Care.” This thematic line emphasized the role of research in the development of healthcare and the need for evidence-based care models. It aimed to ensure that informed and scientifically backed decisions are made for positive change.
Research is vital for improving clinical practice, and access to quality data is essential for obtaining valid and relevant conclusions. The knowledge generated from primary care caters to the needs of patients and professionals and should be developed within healthcare centres and communities to which they belong. Workshops, discussion tables, and presentations by leading professionals provided opportunities to explore research questions, disseminate study findings, and transfer knowledge to patients. Additionally, projects and results developed by primary care professionals in recent months were shared, fostering collaboration and learning.
Our European project, H2020 – IMI Project BEAMER, was selected for presentation in a session showcasing the best research projects at the conference. The session covered various topics, including cardiovascular health, pharmacology, new technologies, prevention, and community health in Primary Care.
Access to health information has become a crucial aspect of research, both in Spain and internationally, within Primary Care. Initiatives promoting the evolution of the healthcare system and the provision of quality data facilitate better clinical and organizational decision-making. In this context, we explained the purpose of BEAMER, which aims to improve patient adherence throughout their medical care, enhancing their health status, quality of life, and the accessibility and sustainability of healthcare.
We presented research conducted in Madrid, including preliminary results. This research will facilitate an extensive data search to predict non-adherence by comprehending the complex factors influencing patient adherence. Our focus is on “real individuals” rather than “ideal individuals,” utilizing characteristics and medication adherence data from a large population of high-risk chronic patients based on electronic medical records and pharmacy data from the real-world setting in the Community of Madrid.
The predictive model for non-adherence to medication will be based on medical history and pharmacy data, enabling the development of a tool for automatic identification in electronic medical records and personalized interventions.
The BEAMER project garnered significant interest among attendees of the session on best research projects. In the closing ceremony, it was recognized as the “Best Research Project” by the Scientific Committee of the conference.
