Hospital da Luz - Learning Health

The Hospital da Luz Learning Health is the training, research, innovation, and medical simulation center of the Luz Saúde group, playing a central role in knowledge development and the continuous improvement of healthcare.

In the field of clinical research, our mission includes:

• Developing, promoting, and supporting research projects across different units of the Hospital da Luz network;
• Encouraging new methodologies that add value and quality to the care provided to our clients.

Our team is comprised of 15 specialized professionals, including clinical trial coordinators, project managers, contract managers, and research grant managers—ensuring the necessary technical and scientific support for developing robust and relevant projects.

To facilitate and accelerate these processes, we have developed two essential digital tools:

• 100% online platform for internal submission of clinical trials and studies;
• Electronic monitoring tool for trials, which provides monitors with read-only access to the clinical records exclusively of the participants in the respective trial or study.

Since 2019, Luz Saúde has been promoting internal calls for funding investigator-initiated projects, highlighting a clear strategic focus on clinical research. In 2024, we relaunched this initiative and received multiple applications evaluated by a panel consisting of 6 internal reviewers and 13 invited specialists. The distinguished projects stood out for their scientific rigor and their potential impact on improving healthcare. This grant program aims to strengthen promotion, structuring, and professionalization, reflecting the Group's commitment to advancing research and innovation, aiming to contribute to the continuous improvement of care provided.

The Hospital da Luz Learning Health is part of the Católica Luz Clinical Academic Center (CAC). This is the first clinical academic center in Portugal to exclusively involve private and social sector institutions. It acknowledges the role of the private healthcare sector in Portugal in advancing clinical research and innovation, combined with excellence in clinical practice to achieve the best health outcomes.

The CAC Católica Luz aims to bring together education, research, and healthcare within the context of a collaboration designed to create a common institutional culture, focused on scientific and clinical quality at an international level, facilitating and promoting communication and collaboration, optimizing the use of human and infrastructure resources, and generating common transversal projects that contribute to the continuous improvement of healthcare.

We remain committed to supporting initiatives that make a difference in the lives of our clients, fostering a culture of knowledge, rigor, and innovation in the service of health.