The Hospital da Luz Learning Health celebrates a decade

The Hospital da Luz Learning Health celebrates a decade. Learn more about this journey, marked by great achievements.

The Hospital da Luz Learning Health, dedicated to activities of training, research, and innovation in the delivery and management of healthcare, celebrates a decade of activity. These 10 years are marked by significant achievements: the creation of the largest Clinical Simulation Center in Portugal, more than 600 thousand hours of training completed, support for hundreds of clinical trials and studies, a pioneering platform for testing startup solutions, and integration into the Católica-Luz Clinical Academic Center, the first private CAC in Portugal. These results reflect a commitment to clinical excellence and healthcare innovation.

“We work daily to ensure the best training for future healthcare professionals, particularly through the work done with the Hospital da Luz Lisboa, which serves as the university hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of the Catholic University, and integrating the Católica-Luz Clinical Academic Center. At the same time, we support clinical research across the Group, contributing to scientific development in Portugal, and we are strongly committed to emerging areas such as data science and artificial intelligence, in partnership with leading academic institutions. Finally, we support the development of innovative projects capable of having a real impact on healthcare delivery,” emphasizes Francisca Leite, director of Hospital da Luz Learning Health.

The activities of Hospital da Luz Learning Health began in September 2015 and are developed across three main areas.

Training: the largest Simulation Center in Portugal

Training is one of the pillars of the Hospital da Luz Network.

• In these 10 years, the Hospital da Luz Learning Health has conducted over 3,000 courses and clinical events, involving more than 268 thousand healthcare professional participations from various fields, totaling over 630 thousand hours of training.
• The Simulation Center, with 1,300 m2 in the Hospital da Luz Lisboa building, is the largest and most advanced in the country, boasting more than 100 simulators (15 high-fidelity and 6 virtual reality simulators), 11 advanced simulation rooms, and 4 debriefing rooms.
• Inaugurated in 2021, the Center represented an investment exceeding 1.7 million euros in simulation equipment, co-financed by the Portugal 2020 Program. It addresses the practical training needs of various medical specialties, nursing, and other professional groups in the healthcare field.

With its integration into the Católica-Luz Clinical Academic Center, the first non-state CAC, Hospital da Luz Learning Health also establishes itself as a leader in undergraduate training for future doctors. Working in an integrated manner with both the Faculty of Medicine of the Portuguese Catholic University and its university hospital, Hospital da Luz Lisboa, HL Learning Health today holds the status of reference partner in this area, thereby also contributing to the preparation of future healthcare professionals.

Furthermore, the work developed by HL Learning Health has already enabled Hospital da Luz Lisboa to receive, in 2024, full accreditation as a clinical academic center by the Joint Commission International (JCI).

Research: private leader in R&D in Portugal

In the research area, Hospital da Luz Learning Health has supported Luz Saúde Group in establishing itself as the largest private investor in Research and Development in Portugal.

• In 2023 alone, it invested 4.7 million euros in R&D activities (data from DGEEC).
• Research groups and individual researchers have found full support here to develop their projects.
• Over the past 10 years, 290 clinical trials and 529 clinical studies have been submitted.
• It has secured 6.5 million euros in external, public, and private incentives.

Innovation and AI: the future of healthcare

• Hospital da Luz Learning Health also establishes itself as a hub for innovation. In 2023, it launched the Intelligent Health Platform, one of the 30 consortia that make up the National Test Beds Network.
• It has already received 114 applications from startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), initiating 35 pilot projects utilizing available environments – In Silico Lab, Simulation Lab, and Living Lab.
• These projects test solutions ranging from preventing falls during hospital stays to supporting active aging and the efficient management of surgical kits. Some of these cases can be explored in the podcast Hospital da Luz - 10 Minutes of Innovation.
• Additionally, a specialized artificial intelligence team develops projects in areas such as clinical data analysis, medical decision support and care personalization, as well as the reengineering of clinical and non-clinical processes, consolidating its commitment to cutting-edge technology.