I guess among you many faithful followers of Miguel Ángel Máñez Sunday Summaries (only available in Spanish). Today he comes to memory because from here as from his posts, there will be several proposals for reading.

A few days ago Javier Padilla showed us his fantastic blog médico crítico  (only available in Spanish) a reflection that entitled “Against the humanization of health care®” which came to denounce the fact that those who, by their positions in the Administration, have (or have had) the authority to promote a more human health system without doing so (or have done), and now they join the wave shaped bubble “humanization” with no merit. Javier Padilla´s opinion was answered and complemented with other two entries 

[1] and [2] by Rodrigo Gutiérrez in Regimen Sanitatis 2.0, where some precisitions are done that just make me think that every initiative in this regard is welcome.

I think that at this point, none of us will be enough we hear empty words again and again as advertising slogans to believe that mention them work it is done. These words must be accompanied by facts, but must also precede them, since they will be the basis for the planning of the work to be done. I understand and appreciate initiatives, among others, such as the Humanization Plan of the Community of Madrid which would not serve anything if it stayed in another drawer or shelves resting. Or as other campaigns and strategies put in place, probably some for not to miss the train. Those who have led its creation have had the courage to make the commitment in them represents. An empty commitment, if is not accompanied by media that facilitate its compliance. Now it´s time to move as planned to the work, and that will be the test of the cotton of the cleaning of the previous message.

And aside from so necessary and interesting reflections on the “neither with you nor without you” as Sabina would say, we get data from an interesting study  with more than six thousand patients in which highlights the relationship between the implementation of a package of measures (let´s call them “humanizing measures”) with a decrease in mortality, delirium and coma days. “Bundles” which led to adoption of updates in clinical practice before the positive effects that proved to have in other aspects (Pneumonia or bacteremia Zero campaigns). Arguments from the “Science” for the political-skeptical who, on the other hand, they do not do more to label of ‘evidence’ what already we we could consider before as “obvious”.

Family support has proved its evidence tonight (one of the measures included in this package), and it can not only prevent delirium, but minimizes “unpleasant consequences”. And tonight it has avoided, that otherwise would have resulted in a physical restraint, unnecessary now. The patient that I have on the side has spent the most of the night confused, scared at times and uneasy hunting shrews. Probably, if he had not been accompanied  by his son, he would have ended tied. But he was more relaxed with his son and smiled at him when he saw cobwebs, bugs and a few rare curtains. And we laugh together.

He was my father.

José Manuel Velasco