The Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN) has urged to consolidate the figure of the diabetes day hospital within the National Health System (SNS) and to advance towards a more uniform implementation of these care devices, with the aim of ensuring that all patients have the same opportunities for access to specialized care.
This demand has been put on the table in a session focused on the Diabetes Day Hospital, organized within the framework of the 67th Congress of the SEEN, which is being held in Santiago de Compostela until this Friday.
During the meeting, experts emphasized that this type of resource functions as an intermediate level between outpatient consultation and conventional hospitalization, and highlighted its usefulness for addressing acute episodes that cannot be delayed until a scheduled appointment, but do not require admission.
According to specialists, day hospitals provide patients with close monitoring and fluid communication with Emergencies, Primary Care, and various hospital units. Among the situations in which they are particularly useful are the onset of diabetes that requires immediate intensive insulinization, decompensations associated with other pathologies or treatments, the needs for insulinization or therapeutic adjustments in women with pregestational or gestational diabetes, as well as follow-up after discharge of individuals treated with insulin.
In addition to addressing acute episodes, this care model serves to reinforce diabetes education, promote self-care, reduce the risk of complications, and encourage greater autonomy in people with diabetes.
In this context, the president of the SEEN Foundation, director of the Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition at the University Clinic of Navarra and member of the Diabetes Area of the SEEN, Javier Escalada, has highlighted the contribution of Specialized Diabetes Nursing, which facilitates "accessibility, education, and support" for patients in their daily lives.
Economic impact and organization of resources
On the other hand, specialists have emphasized that diabetes day hospitals contribute to containing healthcare spending, as they help to curb the evolution of acute decompensations and reduce both visits to emergency services and hospital admissions.
"In Andalusia, the reduction of income due to diabetes and ketoacidosis was greater than in the rest of Spain coinciding with the progressive implementation of Diabetes Day Hospitals. Likewise, a Spanish study from the University of Extremadura estimated a potential saving of 645.16 euros per patient per day, fundamentally due to the days of hospitalization avoided," noted Dr. Escalada.
The expert specified that these devices do not intend to replace existing resources, such as Primary Care, Endocrinology consultations, or Emergency Services, but rather to integrate and coordinate them better to offer the appropriate patient, at the right moment, a quick and specialized response, avoiding resorting to more complex resources when they are not essential.
Consequently, the SEEN has demanded a more structured implementation of diabetes day hospitals, clearly defining their service portfolio, referral circuits, and outcome indicators, ensuring specific training for professionals and incorporating telemedicine and digital health tools.
"From the commitment of the health organization to the creation of collaboration networks within each health area, with clearly defined circuits and bidirectional communication. This must be complemented by a multidisciplinary team with expert knowledge, space and resources, access to technology applied to diabetes," specified the head of the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service of the Virgen Macarena University Hospital in Seville and member of the Diabetes Area of the SEEN, María Asunción Martínez Brocca.