On June 30, 2021, it was announced that the Government of Spain, through the Ministry of Health, will invest nearly 400 million euros throughout this year in the development of the High-End Technology Equipment Investment Plan (INVEAT) of the National Health System (SNS) to meet in a planned and orderly way the needs of SNS. The portfolio of equipment to be renewed or expanded has included linear accelerators, CT, magnetic resonance imaging, PET-CT, gamma cameras, digital brachytherapy equipment, vascular angiographs, neuroradiology angiographs, and catheterization laboratories.
The objectives are to reduce the obsolescence of the current SNS technology park and to raise the average density rate of high-tech equipment per 100,000 inhabitants. It is expected that this will increase the overall survival and quality of life through the diagnosis of diseases in the early stages, which, in turn, will enable rapid therapeutic intervention. Special attention is paid to the pathologies with the most significant health impact, such as chronic, oncological, neurological, and rare diseases.
The technological renewal of 100% of the equipment of the SNS that are 12 or more years old and, additionally, of the linear accelerators and CT of 10-11 years (585 units), in line with the recommendations of the scientific societies, was specifically outlined. This way, Spain will be placed in the first positions of compliance with the COCIR "Golden Rules".
In addition, the INVEAT will raise by 17% the average rate of equipment density per 100,000 inhabitants of Spain, advancing progressively towards the European average, expanding the technological park of the SNS by 17% (262 additional units) and, in turn, increasing the percentage of younger equipment. The following increase rates were provided:
- 67% in PET-CT;
- 36% in neuroradiology angiographs;
- 13.4% in MRI;
- 10.8% in planning CT;
- 10.3% in hemodynamic equipment;
- 10% in linear accelerators;
- 8.5% in digital brachytherapy equipment;
- 8% in SPECT-CT gamma cameras;
- 6% in vascular angiographs;
- 4.3% in CT.
In total, the INVEAT has an investment of 796.1 million euros to be distributed in 2021 and 2022. The renovation of equipment amounts to 585 units and the expansion to 262.
On June 29, 2021, the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System has approved the INVEAT Plan and the agreement of criteria for the distribution of the funds of this investment, which was authorized on June 22, 2021, in the Council of Ministers.
The full details in Spanish can be found here.
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