Servei Catala de la Salut (Catalan Health Service)

The Catalan Health Service (CatSalut) is the entity that guarantees public health care to all citizens of Catalonia. It was born in 1991 as an entity for planning, evaluation and financing of services and benefits, within the fields of health and social health care.

In order to comply with its main objective of guaranteeing quality public coverage assistance to all citizens of Catalonia, it carries out the function of purchasing health services from the various provider entities, based on the health needs of the population it defines the Department of Health and also evaluates the satisfaction of citizens with the services provided.

Likewise, it guarantees health benefits so that health, economic and human resources are at the service of citizens with criteria of equity, quality and efficiency. These are the purposes of the Catalan Health Service:

• The appropriate distribution of health resources throughout the territory, taking into account the socio-economic, health and population characteristics of Catalonia.
• The optimal distribution of the financial resources used to finance the services and benefits that make up the public health system and public coverage.
• The coordination of the entire public health system and public coverage and the best use of available resources.
• The integration of existing actions relating to the protection and improvement of the population's health.
• The provision of health promotion and protection services, disease prevention, health and socio-health care and rehabilitation, of an individual or collective nature, and its progressive extension to all citizens.
• The humanization of health services, maintaining maximum respect for the dignity of the person and individual freedom.
• Improvement and progressive change towards the quality and modernization of services.
• Scientific research in the field of health.
• The harmonious, efficient and coordinated update of Catalonia's public health system, both in terms of equipment and technical and personal means.