Celia Román García, the national representative of the Urban Primary Care Physicians Section of Spain’s Organización Médica Colegial (OMC), the national umbrella organization for physicians in Spain, said her top priorities include strengthening primary care, restoring physicians’ and pediatricians’ professional leadership, and raising the profile of family medicine and pediatrics across the healthcare system.

In an interview with the OMC’s Médicos y Pacientes website, she also called for greater support for clinical excellence and broader social recognition of these specialties. She pointed to their visibility in universities, along with new ways of organizing patient visits, as key areas for change.

Reducing Bureaucracy in Healthcare

Among her main areas of focus is reducing bureaucracy in healthcare. The OMC representative has called for compliance with regulations stipulating that each healthcare professional must handle the paperwork resulting from their own medical procedures. The goal is to prevent administrative tasks from falling on primary care practices.

In this regard, she proposed taking advantage of the possibilities offered by digital medical records, patient portals, and AI to simplify certain administrative processes. These tools can streamline the management of sick leave or the preparation of reports. It is essential to eliminate tasks that do not add value in order to free up time for patient care.

Combating Professional Intrusion

Another key pillar of her proposal is defending Spain’s Médico Interno Residente (MIR) program — the national postgraduate training pathway through which physicians enter specialty training after medical school — and pushing back against professional intrusion. García also warned against hiring doctors without the required specialist training, arguing that strengthening the MIR system is essential to maintaining the quality and safety of patient care.

Continuity of care is also a priority. The national representative argued that family physicians must reclaim their central role in patient care and act as “conductors” within the healthcare system. In her view, this role ensures more coordinated and continuous care.

Presence in Universities

García has also advocated for strengthening the presence of family medicine in universities, with the goal of improving students’ understanding of the specialty and contributing to its professional and social recognition.

Regarding healthcare administration, she has called for sufficient human and material resources to ensure “strong and solid” primary care because she considers it “the foundation of equity in the healthcare system.”

Finally, the OMC representative delivered a message to professionals amid the current climate of discouragement. “We must rekindle our enthusiasm for the profession and remember the true importance of the work we do,” she said.

García has disclosed no relevant financial relationship.

This story was translated from El Médico Interactivo on Univadis, part of the Medscape Professional Network.