Hospital da Luz Learning Health , Luz Saúde company dedicated to activities of training, research and innovation in health care provision and management , celebrates a decade of existence. These 10 years have been marked by great achievements: the creation of the largest Clinical Simulation Centre in Portugal, over 600 thousand hours of training provided, support to hundreds of trials and clinical studies, a pioneering platform to test start-ups and integration into the Catholic-Luz Academic Clinical Centre, the first private CAC in Portugal. These achievements reflect the commitment of clinical excellence and innovation in health. “We work every day towards ensuring the best training to the health professionals of the future namely through our work with Hospital da Luz Lisboa, which is the university hospital of the Catholic University’s Faculty of Medicine, and by integrating the Catholic-Luz Academic Clinical Centre . At the same time, we support clinical research within the whole Group, contributing for scientific development in Portugal, and we are strongly engaged in emerging areas, such as data science and artificial intelligence, in partnership with academical institutions of reference. On the other hand, we support the development of innovating projects with a potential of real impact in healthcare provision”, stresses Francisca Leite, director of Hospital da Luz Learning Health. Hospital da Luz Learning Health started its activity in September 2015, which is developed in three main fields. Training: the largest Simulation Centre in Portugal Training is one of the pillars of Hospital da Luz network. Along these 10 years, over 3,000 courses and clinical events were hold, involving over 268 thousand participations of health professionals in different areas, in a total of over 630 thousand hours of training. The Simulation Centre, occupying 1,300 square meters in a building of Hospital da Luz Lisboa, is the largest and most modern of the country , with over 100 simulators (among them 15 of high-fidelity and 6 of virtual reality), 11 advanced simulation rooms, and 4 debriefing rooms. Inaugurated in 2021, the Centre has represented an investment of over 1.7 million euros in simulation equipment, co-financed by Program Portugal 2020. It responds to the needs of practical training in the different medical specialities, nursing, and other professional groups connected with health. With its integration into the Catholic-Luz Academic Clinical Centre, the first non-state CAC, Hospital da Luz Learning Health has also established itself as a leading player in the undergraduate training of future doctors. Working in an integrated manner with both the Faculty of Medicine of the Portuguese Catholic University and its university hospital, Hospital da Luz Lisboa, HL Learning Health is now a leading partner in this area, thus also contributing to the preparation of future healthcare professionals. In fact, the work carried out by HL Learning Health has already enabled Hospital da Luz Lisboa to receive full accreditation as a clinical academic centre by the Joint Commission International (JCI) in 2023. Research: private R&D leader in Portugal In the area of research, Hospital da Luz Learning Health has supported the Luz Saúde group, consolidating it as the largest private investor in Research and Development in Portugal. In 2023 alone, it invested 4.7 million euros in R&D activities (according to DGEEC data). Groups of research and individual researchers have found here all the support required to develop their projects. Over the last 10 years 290 clinical trials and 529 clinical studies were submitted. It has raised 6.5 million euros in external incentives, both private and public. Innovation and AI: the health of the future Hospital da Luz Learning Health also stands out as a pole of innovation. In 2023, it launched the Intelligent Health Platform , one of 30 consortiums integrating the National Network of Test Beds. It has already received 114 applications by startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) , initiating 35 pilot-projects taking advantage of the environments available – In Silico Lab, Simulation lab, and Living Lab. In these projects solutions are tested, going from inpatient fall prevention to the support to active aging and the effective management of surgical kits. You can learn about such cases in the podcast Hospital da Luz 10 Minutes of Innovation. On the other hand, a team specialized in artificial intelligence is developing projects in areas such as clinical data analysis, support to medical decision and healthcare customization, and reengineering of clinical and non-clinical processes, consolidating the bet on cutting-edge technology. 10 years building the future of health Created in September 2015, Hospital da Luz Learning Health has become a reference in training, research, and innovation in health in Portugal. The balance of this first decade gives us confidence for the future: to continue investing in knowledge, technology and partnerships that make a difference in the life of health professionals and patients.
