HUCA launches new Rare Diseases Unit in Asturias

The Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA) has launched a new Rare Diseases Unit to provide coordinated care for both pediatric and adult patients with low-prevalence pathologies. The unit aims to create a structured clinical circuit where multiple specialists share information and coordinate clinical decisions, reducing the need for patients to navigate isolated consultations or make unnecessary trips.

In its initial phase, the unit is treating approximately seven patients per day. This includes children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and adults who require multidisciplinary follow-up that previously lacked a defined care itinerary. The initiative, announced by Asturias President Adrián Barbón and supported by Health Counselor Concepción Saavedra, focuses on personalizing care and ensuring that medical services coordinate around the patient rather than requiring the patient to seek out individual specialists.