Next December 11th, 2019 will be a day for the history of the humanization of intensive care units: the ICU of Infanta Elena University Hospital of the Public Health System of the Community of Madrid is receiving the HUCI/AENOR certification for its compliance with Good Practices in Humanization (soon available in English).

From Utopia to Reality.

This is a milestone: 250 ICUs around the world that have performed the self-assessment, the baseline compliance referred is between 40 and 60%. For more than a year, the team of the ICU of Valdemoro distributed the pending good practices and distributed them into groups, and have worked in an exemplary and incessant way, with the passion and conviction that the ICUs we all deserve are written with H ahead. A great effort towards excellence, with humility and tenacity. This work of the whole team, led by Rebeca Muñoz and María del Carmen García Torrejón, makes them the first H-ICU in the world.

But it is not only worth the commitment of the ICU: this adventure was supported by the management of the Hospital from the first moment, and without their bet nothing would have been possible. In fact, more than 70 ICUs nationally and internationally have requested information on the certification process (soon available in English). At the present time we have four other processes open and soon we will start some process in Latin America.

Humanization has a lot to do with utopia: what has not yet been realized but that encourages us to move forward seeking excellence in health care.

Recently we could observe through the experience of experts (patients and family members) at the 2nd National Meeting on Post-Intensive Syndrome, that the differences are noticeable between the ICU and the H-ICU. And the interesting thing is to learn and look forward, so that this #holymadness could reach everyone and the care received would not depend on your zip code or place of birth. We firmly believe that compliance with the 160 Good Practices in Humanization of Intensive Care Units will reduce social differences, and hopefully we could scientifically demonstrate not only reduced costs, but length of stay and less sequels.

We will not stop until it becomes a reality: the H would be silent again and there would be no need to talk about humanizing health care. Because this is the evolution that people want: patients, families and professionals.

In the meantime, let us celebrate this unique and unrepeatable moment, and… Let´s congratulate the H-ICU of Infanta Elena University Hospital!