This week, a PUCV commission, within the framework of a meeting of the Association of Regional Universities (AUR), visited the new facilities of the San José de Casablanca Hospital, a modern public family and community facility that has been in the process of being put into operation since May of this year and that will replace the old building located on Yungay Street.
The PUCV delegation was led by the dean of the Faculty of Sciences, Manuel Bravo; the general coordinator of Linkage with the Environment, Angélica Casaletti; the director of the Senior Action Program, Rubén López; in addition to a group of professors from the fields of Kinesiology, Medical Technology, Computer Engineering and others.
The acting director of San José Hospital, Juan Correa, said that the visit had special significance because the facility represents a major step forward in improving access to health care in the Casablanca commune.
“This is the only hospital facility in the commune and it is the only access to the health services that its 30 thousand inhabitants have. We need collaboration in the teaching assistance relationship, which is an area regulated by the State and we have the facilities so that university students can receive all the necessary conditions to opt for an internship related to their profession. In this way we are developing a joint work of linkage with the academy and its researchers,” he said.
The San José Hospital in Casablanca has a modern infrastructure with more than 8,289 square meters of construction and will be fully operational in December of this year. It will have dialysis units, highly advanced imaging equipment, mobile X-rays for emergencies and a highly specialized clinical laboratory and other support services.
DEAN: “IT IS PART OF OUR TRAINING PROCESS”
Our University is working with the health services of the region and various entities in the field to expand the areas of joint action given its vocation for service and what is established in the Strategic Development Plan 2023 – 2029. Indeed, in the government program of rector Nelson Vásquez includes advancing in new careers in the field of health.
PUCV currently has Medical Technology, Kinesiology and Psychology, which have a long history in the clinical field. In this regard, the dean of the Faculty of Sciences, Manuel Bravo, indicated that “we are interested in knowing the places where our students come to train. Working in a health service or hospital is part of our training process. We are talking about professionals who care for patients and are going to dedicate themselves to caring for people. Getting to know this facility and establishing collaborative links seems very significant to us.”
The manager of clinical fields at the PUCV School of Medical Technology, Kosette Esteban, stated that it is valuable to know these new units and strengthen ties. “We have many areas where we can work together, for example, in the clinical laboratory, where we have the biosimulation field. During the pandemic we had many patients from Casablanca and there we can make a link both for users and for research.”
The visit took place in the context of a two-day meeting, where the PUCV was the host, organized by the Health Commission of the Group of Regional Universities (AUR), an entity that brings together 22 study houses committed to the development of communities and regional territories.
The representative of the AUR Health Commission, Jaime Jamett, added that “the rectors have ordered us to learn about new experiences and seek the development of the study houses in relation to the healthcare network. The new law on clinical fields is being discussed, the incorporation of new university accreditation criteria and we are looking for common points. “Universities can contribute to a more effective connection with the community that represents transformative changes.”
By Juan Paulo Roldán
Strategic Communication Department
