page_title: Spanish National Health System
section_title: Specialized centers
hierarchical_section_title: Spanish National Health System / Health establishments / Specialized centers
context_page_description: The Spanish National Health System is the agglomeration of public healthcare services that has existed in Spain since it was established through and structured by the Ley General de Sanidad of 1986. Management of these services has been progressively transferred to the distinct autonomous communities of Spain, while some continue to be operated by the National Institute of Health Management, part of the Ministry of Health and Social Policy. The activity of these services is harmonized by the Interterritorial Council of the Spanish National Health Service in order to give cohesion to the system and to guarantee the rights of citizens throughout Spain.
  Article 46 of the Ley General de Sanidad establishes the fundamental characteristics of the SNS:
  a. Extension of services to the entire population.
  b. Adequate organization to provide comprehensive health care, including promotion of health, prevention of disease, treatment and rehabilitation.
  c. Coordination and, as needed, integration of all public health resources into a single system.
  d.
context_section_description: Specialized centers are healthcare centers where different health care professionals provide services to particular group identified by common pathologies, age, or other common characteristics. Among these are:
  Dental clinics
  Focused on care of the teeth and mouth.
  Centers for assisted human reproduction
  Biomedical teams focused on assisted reproductive technology.
  Centers for voluntary interruption of pregnancy
  Provide abortion services in legally permitted cases.
  Centers for major outpatient surgery
  Provide surgery and subsidiary services including general, local and regional anesthesia and sedation. For surgeries that require only brief post-operative care and therefore do not require overnight hospitalization.
  Dialysis centers
  For patients with failed kidneys.
  Diagnostic centers
  Dedicated to diagnostic, analytic and imaging services.
  Mobile health care centers
  Carry human and technical means for the purpose of health care activities.
  Transfusion centers
  Carry out all activities related to the extraction and verification of human blood and its components, and of treatment, storage, and distribution.
  Tissue banks
  Conserve and guarantee the quality of tissues after they are obtained and until they are used as allografts or autografts.
  Medical inspection centers
  (Centros de reconocimiento médico), where examinations and other tests of ability are carried out for applicants or holders of medical and other health care permits or licenses.
  Mental health centers
  Diagnose and treat mental illness on an outpatient basis.
caption: Hemodialysis machine.
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