With the aim of advancing towards more humane, personalised and multidisciplinary care for people living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), the consensus document “RETAR: Redefining and Transforming the Care of People with IBD” was presented on 7 July at the Spanish Congress of Deputies. This initiative is spearheaded by UIC Barcelona, through its University Institute for Patient Care, in partnership with the biopharmaceutical company AbbVie.

The document identifies 19 unmet needs and proposes 15 lines of action, five of which have been prioritised due to their impact on patients’ quality of life and the sustainability of the healthcare system. These include early diagnosis in primary care, personalised treatment plans and the integration of the patient’s voice in clinical decision-making.

RETAR has received support from scientific societies, patient associations and professionals from both the healthcare and social care sectors. Through this multidisciplinary approach, the project sets out specific and feasible proposals to define a new standard of care for the more than 360,000 people living with IBD in Spain.

With this initiative, the University Institute for Patient Care underscores the importance of placing the patient at the centre of the system, reinforcing the value of lived experience as a driver for continuous improvement in healthcare.