San Juan de Dios, a history of adaptation and humanization in Tenerife
Dr. José Carlos del Castillo. Managing Director of the San Juan de Dios Centers in Tenerife.
The Hospitaller Order of St. John of God, an institution with almost five centuries of history, has left an indelible mark on the world healthcare scene. In Tenerife, its presence has been felt in a special way, evolving from a children’s clinic to become a benchmark for health and social care on the island.
In its beginnings, the San Juan de Dios hospital in Tenerife was dedicated to caring for children affected by the after-effects of polio. However, thanks to vaccines, the disease was eradicated and our priorities changed. Faced with this new reality, the order decided to convert its facilities to serve an increasingly numerous sector of the population with specific needs: the elderly.
Over the years, the hospital of San Juan de Dios has expanded its range of services to become a general hospital, a reference in the population of Tenerife for the care of people with different health problems. In addition, we provide social and health care to people with intellectual disabilities, ASD and elderly people with serious mental illnesses. Our commitment to quality and humanization of health care has been recognized by the people we serve, by the public administration and by the professionals.
Today, we continue to focus on innovation and technology to improve the quality of life of the people we serve.
The coming years present us with a new challenge. The growing complexity of the healthcare system, the aging population and technological advances will require constant adaptation and updating. However, these challenges are also an invitation to innovate. The incorporation of new professionals, with their updated knowledge and skills, together with the implementation of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, telemedicine and robotization, will allow us to optimize care processes and offer more personalized, efficient and higher quality care to our patients and families.
The San Juan de Dios Hospital of Tenerife is at a key stage in its evolution, marked by the incorporation of new projects aimed at transforming its facilities and expanding its portfolio of services. Among the main initiatives are the strengthening of the mental health, endoscopy and ophthalmology units, with a firm commitment to investing in medical technology to provide more accurate and efficient diagnoses and treatments.
Among the hospital’s future projects is the opening of a Comprehensive Oncology area, in collaboration with Mercurius Health, which will include medical oncology, radiation oncology, multi-specialty consultations, advanced radiodiagnosis and nuclear medicine, and will offer complete care for people with oncological disease. “We want to be a reference in the fight against the suffering caused by cancer in Tenerife.”
The history of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God in Tenerife is an example of how a century-old institution can adapt to change and remain relevant in today’s society. Our commitment to care for the most vulnerable people, our capacity for innovation and our focus on quality and humanization of care are the pillars on which we want to strengthen our future.
Original news here.
