New Therapeutic Space for Palliative Care at Alicante General Hospital

Alicante's Doctor Balmis General Hospital has aimed to humanise patient care by establishing a new therapeutic space in the Palliative Medicine Unit, enhancing the well-being of patients, families, and the professionals who support them. This new room, equipped with armchairs, tables, and other comfort elements, is located in the Internal Medicine hospitalisation unit (8th A).

The head of the Internal Medicine Service, Dr. Portilla, and Dr. Raquel Soriano, head of the Palliative Medicine Unit, highlighted that "patients admitted to the unit and their families face a high emotional, social, and spiritual impact. In this regard, we offer the necessary biomedical care, but we needed a specific space for therapeutic and relational support. Therefore, we have transformed the unit's solarium into an environment that is not only clinical but also human, aiming to provide comprehensive and humanised care during a particularly vulnerable life stage."

In this same vein, the Nursing Supervisor of Internal Medicine, Inmaculada Dapena, emphasised that "at the end of life stage, where physical and emotional suffering can be intense, the environment itself takes on a therapeutic role: to relieve, calm, and dignify the care experience."

The design of the therapeutic space adheres to the principles of humanising healthcare, promoting comfort, privacy, communication, and patient autonomy. "We wanted to create a place different from the hospital room, where patients can say goodbye to their loved ones, celebrate a birthday, a wedding, or simply share a last coffee," explained Dr. Soriano.

"In a context where it is not always possible to cure, it is possible to care, and a humanised environment not only alleviates suffering but dignifies the end of life, enhances communication between patients and caregivers, and fosters a climate of trust and empathy. The space, therefore, ceases to be a mere setting to become an instrument of accompaniment and compassion. Moreover, we must not forget that in this space, we also accompany minors in the end-of-life process of their loved ones, and a therapeutic environment is a facilitating vehicle," concluded the unit's head.

Last Friday, the inauguration of this new space took place, attended by the head of the Internal Medicine Service, Dr. Joaquín Portilla; the head of the Palliative Medicine Unit, Raquel Soriano; and the Nursing Supervisor of Internal Medicine, Inmaculada Dapena, along with a representation of the management team, including the medical director, Diego Díez; the economic director, Engracia Mira; the director of Nursing, Mª Remedio Yáñez; and the deputy director of Nursing for Quality, Information Systems, teaching, and research, Inés González.

It was an intimate event, featuring the donation of five paintings by the Mediterranean Collective. Some of its members, Jaume Marzal, Isabel Rico, José Luis Rico, Salvador Galán, and Conchi Romero, visited the centre to present these works, which will bring colour and warmth to this new corner.

Additionally, Eva Fajardo Blasco, secretary of the Internal Medicine Service, has also donated a personal artwork to contribute to the room's ambiance.