Within the framework of the Strategic R+D+i Plan 2021-2025, in addition to pursuing cross-cutting strategies in Specialisation/Differentiation such as Ageing and Personalised Precision Medicine, IIS Biogipuzkoa is developing a strategy oriented toward the market and health results: Innovation.

BACKGROUND

Through the Support for Innovation Unit, IIS Biogipuzkoa has been participating since 2009 in the Red de Innovación en Tecnologías Médicas y Sanitarias (Network for Innovation in Medical and Healthcare Technologies) (ITEMAS ISCIII), what was subsequently established as a Platform and known from 2021 as Revitalisation and innovation of the industrial capacities of the NHS and their effective transfer to the production sector. In doing so, it seeks to boost translational research in the non-pharmacological sector of healthcare material and technologies for equipment, devices, reagents, materials and ICT in health.Nowadays the Biogipuzkoa HRI takes part in the ITEMAS ISCIII Management Board whose role is to support the network Coordinator on its key duties.

In June 2013, OSI Donostialdea’s Steering Committee commissioned Biogipuzkoa HRI with Management of Innovation for OSI Donostialdea. Until that moment, the Institute had been managing R+D+i since its creation, focusing Innovation in the link with the ITEMAS ISCIIINetwork (Medical and Healthcare Technologies).
During the last quarter of that same year, they conducted a Workshop with innovative leaders from OSI Donostialdea and Biogipuzkoa HRI (23 people originally) to define the Key Factors for Success of the Innovation Strategy and the Innovative Initiatives to be undertaken, in response to OSI Donostialdea’s challenges. These Key Factors for Success of OSI Donostialdea’s Innovation Strategy were defined thus:

• Definition of an Innovation Policy in accord with the expectations and needs of profiles of patients of interest, contributing efficiency in care for the organisation.
• Formalisation of Innovation Management at Biogipuzkoa HRI, which undertakes a role to simplify and drive, and with a mid-term vision, to channel and mobilise the organisation’s innovative assets.
• Formal establishment of an Innovation Committee with the incorporation of innovative leaders from the organisation, and to oversee improvement in the quality of care provided to patients.

The Steering Committee from the Donostia University Hospital, now established as OSI Donostialdea, approved creation of the Donostia University Hospital Innovation Committee. This Committee, directly beneath the OSI Managing Director, began its activity in January 2014. Its manager and physical location is Biogipuzkoa HRI.

The Committee’s fundamental Mission is:

• To orient OSI’s innovation policy (definition of the concept of innovation, priority lines, etc.), permanently seeking out opportunities to offer healthcare services more adapted to the needs of interest groups and that are more efficient.
• To manage innovation processes: Providing methodology to stimulate and facilitate development of innovation processes.
• To identify and facilitate relations with other innovative organisations.

Since the Innovation Committee was formed, approximately every semester (occasionally every quarter, as well), meetings have been held to monitor the actions established by the Committee. Additionally, on an annual basis, there is a Strategy Monitoring Meeting to analyse the strategy and the Committee’s Mission at once.

OBJECTIVES

With the R+D+i Management System, Biogipuzkoa HRI attempts to proactively create an innovation-friendly environment in line with OSI Donostialdea.

Thus, for Innovation Management, Biogipuzkoa HRI-OSI Donostialdea has suggested an Innovation Strategy that bears on management, training and care, fomenting an Innovative Culture in both Organisations. It makes it possible for its staff to make the Strategy their own, as it is part of the Institution’s very operation, in constantly generating innovative ideas.

In this regard, IIS Biogipuzkoa is an Entity that places special priority on healthcare innovation, and is a clear leading reference in this field throughout the country:

• It is part of the Platform for Innovation in Medical and Healthcare Technologies (ITEMAS ISCIII) at the Carlos III Health Institute.
• It has developed cross-cutting specialisation strategies with high innovative content that mobilise all the Research Institute and OSI Donostialdea’s resources to carry out research, development and innovation activities.
• In the current R+D+i Strategic Plan 2021-2025, there is a specific INNOVATION line, oriented toward the market and health results, which is reinforced with the TRANSLATIONAL GROWTH line, seeking to boost the participation of healthcare professionals from OSI Donostialdea in Biogipuzkoa HRI’s activities, mainly by developing innovation.

INNOVATION ACTIVITIES

As the managing entity of Innovation for OSI Donostialdea, Biogipuzkoa HRI has formalised Innovation Management through an Innovation Support Unit (ISU), carrying out different activities. The following are of note:

• • Prioritisation based on criteria established by the Innovation Committee for projects presented to Bottom Up Project Contests (Intra-Mural Innovation Project contest by OSI Donostialdea).
  • Accompaniment in projects whose ideas are believed possible to channel through the Innovation Committee:
    • Definition of project focus and orientation.
    • Re-writing the project based on the specific orientation desired for the project.
    • Possible project review by IIS Biogipuzkoa’s Methodological Support Unit.
    • Preparation of protocols.
  • Tours of OSI Donostialdea’s services by Biogipuzkoa HRI’s Innovation Support Unit to share  Biogipuzkoa HRI’s Units/Services and Research Support Platforms that support OSI’s professionals.
  • Tours of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) in the Historic Territory of Gipuzkoa (HMO Alto Deba-Hospital Alto Deba, HMO Bidasoa-Hospital Bidasoa, HMO Debabarrena-Hospital Mendaro, HMO Goierri Alto-Urola-Hospital Zumarraga, HMO Tolosaldea) by IIS Biogipuzkoa’s Support for Innovation Unit to raise awareness of IIS Biodonostia’s Units/Services and Support Platforms for R+D+i that support professionals at different Health Maintenance Organisations.
  • Education activities in innovation.

Contact:
Dra. Arantza Abad Alba: arantza.abad@biodonostia.org
Dra. Olatz Arrizabalaga Garde: olatz.arrizabalaga@biodonostia.org
Dra. Amaia del Villar Álvarez: amaia.delvillar@biodonostia.org
Marisabel Arzamendi Sesé: mariaisabel.arzamendisese@biodonostia.org
Itxaso Calbano Osinaga: itxaso.calbano@biodonostia.org
Álvaro Ricón Rivera: alvaro.riconrivera@biodonostia.org
Maider San Torcuato Labaien: maider.santorcuato@biodonostia.org