The accreditation -the APN said- positions the hospital as a regional leader in the treatment of medium- and high-complexity cardiovascular conditions. With this integration, the Favaloro Hospital is now on par with the country’s leading centers, guaranteeing national funding for surgeries in this specialty and eliminating administrative barriers.
A track record of excellence: #
The APN regarded that “La Pampa boasts a solid history in the treatment of congenital heart disease, a practice that began at the Lucio Molas Hospital and continues today at the Favaloro Hospital. From the outset, these procedures have been made possible by the formation of joint teams, comprised of specialists from the Garrahan Hospital—led by Dr. Javier Cornelis’s surgical team—and local professionals working together in La Pampa.
“These quality standards -APN added- have allowed the province to join the Federal Network, facilitating a cost recovery system through the national government for patients without health insurance, thus optimizing provincial public resources. Regarding this, Health Minister Mario Rubén Kohan expressed his satisfaction to the Provincial News Agency: “After much effort, at the last COFESA meeting, we received the very welcome news of La Pampa being included on the Argentine map as part of the federal network. This is a fact that fills us with pride because it validates the efficiency of our teams.”
Kohan emphasized the support of the Provincial Executive Branch. “This progress is the result of a clear political decision, the unconditional support of Governor Sergio Ziliotto throughout this entire process; his constant backing is a pillar that allows us to maintain and elevate healthcare services until achieving this national recognition.”
Kohan explained that joining the program overcomes a historical obstacle related to low population density, by prioritizing professional capacity and the high volume of interventions performed by specialists over local statistics. “Thanks to the mixed teams led by Dr. Cornelis, whose practice at the Garrahan Hospital guarantees constant training in highly complex cases, and to the collaborative work with professionals from our local services, we have unparalleled clinical experience that is now fully integrated into our hospital,” the official noted.
The value of the team and its deep roots #
Javier Cornelis, a pediatric cardiac surgeon born in La Pampa and a member of the surgery team at Garrahan Hospital, highlighted the advances made in La Pampa in this field. “Historically, La Pampa’s low population density hindered our entry into the National Congenital Heart Disease Program (PNCC) due to its rigid case selection criteria. However, what we lacked in the number of cases, we more than made up for in technical capacity: the training of our mobile team far exceeds expected standards, achieving, together with the excellent local team, optimal results and a level of service with success rates surpassing those of many traditional centers. It is worth noting that thanks to the persistent efforts of the Minister of Health, we are now part of the National Congenital Heart Disease Network. This will allow the Province to recover costs through the Sumar Plan for work it was already carrying out with its own funds,” explained Cornelis. When asked about the service’s history and the services it provides, the surgeon noted that since 2006, “we have undergone a progressive process that now allows us to perform highly complex surgeries, totaling 330 surgeries with excellent results. We were one of the first Services in forming mixed work teams, where excellent local professionals are integrated with specialists who travel from centers like the Garrahan Hospital. This model was the starting point for other specialties in the province to follow the same path, allowing us to resolve almost all heart conditions in La Pampa today.”
Human Resources as the Core #
Asked about the importance of having trained human capital in continuous training, Cornelis explained that, unlike other centers, “in La Pampa we prioritize training over equipment. The cutting-edge technology at the “René Favaloro” Hospital is impressive, but it only makes sense because it surrounds a highly trained team. The provincial government constantly promotes the training of human resources. The hospital must surround the professional, not the other way around. If the technology is devoid of trained human resources, the results fail; we as a team chose a solid, down-to-earth path to ensure excellence in every intervention. Today, the Province is in a position of excellence. With the installed capacity and the results obtained, we have not only eliminated referrals to Buenos Aires, but we have also consolidated ourselves from La Pampa as a regional center capable of receiving patients from neighboring provinces, optimizing the Federal Network for Congenital Heart Disease,” he explained.
Comprehensive Coverage: from birth to adulthood #
A key differentiator of Favaloro Hospital is its multidisciplinary nature, treating everyone from newborns to adults with congenital heart disease. “With state-of-the-art infrastructure, we address adult conditions that cannot be treated at other centers, thus preventing families from having to move away and all that this entails,” explained Cornelis. Finally, he thanked the provincial authorities “for supporting this way of working and prioritizing public health. We work to guarantee the best possible care within the province, in a specialty as complex as ours.”
Evaluating the Experience #
Meanwhile, pediatric cardiologist Carlos Vallejos emphasized that this achievement broke with the rigid administrative practices of the national government, since, historically, “La Pampa was excluded due to its low population density, based on the assumption that a lower volume of local cases implied a lack of training. Faced with this situation, we proposed that the real-world experience of the mixed surgical team be evaluated, not just the hospital’s statistics. The mixed team has been operating successfully for over 20 years, and the province has finally achieved its official incorporation as a provider for the National Congenital Heart Disease Program. This will allow for cost recovery through the national government for the care of patients without insurance coverage, optimizing the resources of the René Favaloro Hospital without compromising the excellence of the service.” Vallejos concluded that it is also “a recognition of the team; a validation of the commitment of a group that always prioritized life and the well-being of families over statistics. Thanks to this collaborative work between local and traveling professionals, La Pampa is consolidating a fairer healthcare model, guaranteeing cutting-edge medicine and excellent results in our own territory.”
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