Josep Vidal Alaball, coordinator of USR Catalunya Central: "Our projects try to improve people's lives and help healthcare professionals work better"

The work carried out by IDIAP Jordi Gol in healthcare research increases year after year. One of the keys to success lies in the projects that are managed through the different Research Support Units of the territory. Each of them is directed by health professionals who have an involvement in the field of vocational research. Undoubtedly, one of them is Josep Vidal Alaball, coordinator of USR Catalonia Central. We spoke with him about the value of being a rural doctor, about the projects that have been carried out from this unit and about the first edition of the Ajuts Centra't that will be given in Manresa on June 6.

 

What led you to become a family doctor in Navàs? Were you always clear that you wanted to stay at home?

I spent eight years living in the United Kingdom, away from home and away from my family. He was clear that one day he would return and that when he did it would be to live in Berga. For me, it didn't make sense to return if it wasn't for being close to home and for my children to grow up close to my family.

When I came back, I started working as a doctor in Bagà and Vallcebre and after spending a season in management I worked as a doctor in Artés, Navarcles, Balsareny and now in Navàs. I like to be a doctor in towns, and because of that whenever I had an option, I chose to go to a town to work.

What does rural medicine have that medicine practiced in large cities does not?

I think it gives you greater proximity to the population, it's easier to get to know the patients and their social environment. This gives you a lot of information and often explains your health problems. In addition, I think that as a doctor you have a better quality of professional life and surely you don't have so much care pressure.

You are a member of the European Association of Rural Doctors, as well as the assembly of the WONCA Working Group on Rural Practice (RuralWonca). Why is it so difficult to encourage medical professionals to come to rural areas? Is this problem intrinsic to Catalonia and Spain?

The problems of attracting health professionals to rural areas is a worldwide phenomenon. They have this problem from India to the United States. As always, the factors that explain this are many, but one of them should be easy to solve: many professionals do not know what rural medicine is. In an Australian study it has been seen that medical professionals who perform a rotation in a rural area during their career or residency have much more chances of ending up working in rural areas.

There are many false beliefs about rural medicine. Many professionals think that if they go to work in rural areas they will not have job and training opportunities, they think that it is not a place for young people... Some are also afraid of being alone, isolated from other professionals, far from hospitals. But that which was perhaps true thirty years ago, is not true now. Today you can work in a town and continue your education, you can work in a town and be a university professor, you can work in a town and participate in research studies.

For almost three years, you have been coordinating the Central Catalonia Research Support Unit at the IDIAP Jordi Gol. What have you learned during these years? What are the projects you are most proud of?

During these years I have noticed that high-quality research is carried out in primary care. Maybe it's research that doesn't get much media attention (unfortunately, the research done in the big hospitals in Barcelona is always more attractive), but it's research that affects people's day-to-day lives and this makes it a really important and very necessary

In the Support Unit of Central Catalonia we participate in a multitude of projects and I am proud of all of them because, as I say, they are projects that try to improve people's lives or try to help healthcare professionals work better. For example, during the pandemic we made relevant projects and participated in clinical trials of medicines that sought to treat COVID-19 and three years ago we have a cohort of almost 500 healthcare professionals who we are following and monitoring their immune status with respect to COVID -19.

We also carry out many digital health studies and new technologies. We have carried out pioneering studies on telemedicine and since 5 years ago we have also been pioneers in studies that evaluate artificial intelligence tools that we believe can help professionals be more efficient in consultation. We have also carried out studies evaluating virtual reality tools. Among other many lines of research, we also have studies on fibromyalgia, persistent COVID, vaccines, health and gender and social determinants of health.

 

What does research from home mean to you?

It's a privilege for me. As I said I always wanted to live in Berga and that this would not affect my professional career and I was lucky enough to be able to do so. Although the road has not been easy, I am now fortunate to be able to combine healthcare practice with research and, in addition, with teaching family medicine at the Faculty of Medicine in Vic.

This year Ajuts Centra't are awarded to encourage residents and professionals to come and practice in Central Catalonia. Where does the idea come from? What is the purpose of these aids?

This is an idea that I had in mind for many years, because in 2002 I did a similar program in Cardiff and that changed my life, as it introduced me to the world of primary care research. In Cardiff they offered us to go to work in the mining areas of South Wales and combine it with research at the University. A few months ago IDIAP and the Esteve Foundation offered us to participate in a program similar to Central Catalonia and I was very excited.

The purpose of the aid is to help medical professionals who have completed the MIR to start a career in research without leaving the territory. It also aims to attract young professionals from outside the territory to come and work with us. I think there aren't many similar programs and it's a great luck to be able to offer it here.

What would you say to a resident who is hesitating whether or not to submit a summons? What would be the winning argument?

We really want them to come and get to know us. The winning argument is to tell them that if they are interested in research, they will hardly find a better place to start their professional career. We offer you the possibility of dedicating two (protected) days a week to develop a research study and complete your doctorate. If this is not enough, we have an unbeatable argument which is the fact that we are lucky to live in a privileged natural environment. If they come, they will be able to combine quality of life and professional opportunities.

These grants count on the participation of ICS Catalunya Central and the Fundación Dr. Anthony Esteve What do these two entities contribute to the call for Centra't?

The ICS provides the security of having a stable contract with the largest health company in Catalonia and the possibility of professional development. The Esteve Foundation provides funding and its proven experience in the training of researchers and health personnel.