Catalonia Reshapes Health System with Creation of 30 Integrated Health Areas
Catalonia launches a major healthcare restructuring by creating 30 Integrated Health Areas to meet future demographic challenges and enhance care integration.
- • Catalonia replaces 43 management areas with 30 Integrated Health Areas (AIS).
- • The population over 75 years is projected to increase by 80% by 2050, raising healthcare demand.
- • The AIS integrate various health services centered on Primary Care for better proximity and equity.
- • Pilot projects will test new governance and organizational models before full implementation.
Key details
Catalonia is undergoing a major overhaul of its healthcare system by replacing its current 43 Areas of Health Management with 30 Integrated Health Areas (AIS) to adapt to evolving demographic pressures and improve healthcare delivery. The initiative was unveiled by the Catalonian Department of Health in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat to over 300 healthcare professionals and is set to launch after a pilot phase within a year.
The restructuring addresses significant demographic changes projected by Idescat, forecasting the population in the region to grow from about 8 million in 2024 to nearly 9 million by 2050. Notably, the population over 75 years old will increase by 80%, anticipated to considerably heighten demand for health services, hospital admissions, and home care visits. The AIS aim to centralize healthcare services—including primary care, public health teams, mental health services, and emergency care—under a unified structure focused on proximity and population health.
The redesigned model emphasizes integration and equity, with the AIS boundaries carefully defined by population mobility, health needs, and socio-economic factors to ensure coverage reflects local realities. Primary Care teams will serve as the core, providing coordinated, accessible care that reduces duplication and improves patient outcomes. Governance will shift from traditional resource allocation to a value-based approach centered on health outcomes.
Pilot projects will precede full implementation, testing innovative organizational and governance structures in areas like community health and integrated home care, offering a practical framework to ensure effective system transformation. According to the Department of Health, the reform strives to enhance territorial equity, maintain sustainability, and address chronic health issues more efficiently by resolving common medical problems close to patients’ homes.
This comprehensive redesign signals a strategic pivot towards a population-centered health system poised to meet the challenges of Catalonia's aging and growing population sustainably and equitably.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
Source articles (2)
Source comparison
Population over 75 projections
Sources report different figures for the population over 75 years old in 2050.
elpais.com
"The population over 75 years old is projected to increase by 80%."
gacetamedica.com
"The population over 75 years will almost double from 782,550 to 1,413,108."
Why this matters: Source 1 mentions an 80% rise in the population over 75, while Source 2 provides specific numbers, projecting it will increase from 782,550 to 1,413,108. This affects the understanding of the aging population's impact on healthcare demands.