Toward a More Human and Inclusive Model of Care: The Aula Pacient Experience

Health education and active patient involvement are essential pillars in the management of chronic diseases such as kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease accompanies affected individuals throughout their lives and requires continuous clinical and emotional follow-up. In response to the need for accessible information, emotional support, and participatory spaces, the “Aula Pacient” (Patient Classroom) initiative was developed.

This educational and participatory project aims to empower people with kidney disease and their families through training, knowledge sharing, and the creation of mutual support networks. The main goal is to strengthen the autonomy and decision-making capacity of people with kidney disease, thereby improving their quality of life and active participation in the care process.

 

The specific objectives include providing understandable information about kidney function and renal replacement therapies, creating a space for dialogue and support among patients, families, and professionals, and adapting program content to the real needs expressed by participants. The target population consists of people with chronic kidney disease at different stages of their condition and their support networks, including family members and caregivers.

 

The program is delivered through monthly meetings and thematic workshops, involving a multidisciplinary team composed of professionals in nursing, nephrology, psychology, pharmacy, physical education (INEF), as well as representatives of patient associations and guest experts from the culinary field. The methodology is based on participatory learning and co-creation of content.

 

Since the implementation of this new format two years ago, people living with kidney disease have participated in selecting the topics they consider most relevant from their perspective as patients, helping to guide the design of session content. In certain sessions, some patients take on a leading role by sharing their personal experiences — for example, living with peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, or pregnancy during treatment — which greatly enriches collective learning. Furthermore, spontaneous discussions and reflections often arise during the sessions, which the team actively encourages because of their educational and emotional value. To assess the program’s impact, evaluation surveys are conducted after each session and at the end of the course. These surveys collect participants’ opinions on the interest of the topics covered, the quality of presentations, the knowledge of the speakers, and the conditions of the learning environment.

 

The results show a high level of satisfaction, emphasizing the practical usefulness of the content, active participation, and the opportunity to share experiences with others facing similar circumstances. In its current form, Aula Pacient has become an innovative and participatory educational tool. Future editions aim to develop a more systematic evaluation to specifically measure changes in health habits and attitudes related to kidney disease. This next step will help generate evidence on the contribution of participatory health education to autonomy, shared responsibility, and improved quality of life among people with chronic kidney disease. Aula Pacient represents a step toward a more human, inclusive, and person-centered model of care.