Mr. Gabriel Masfurroll
Gabriel Masfurroll, president of the Clínicas Mi Group, economist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Honorary Academician and Extraordinary Ambassador of the Royal European Academy of Doctors (RAED), took part on October 17 in the ninth edition of the Fòrum Quirúrgica, organized by Quirúrgica Cirujanos Asociados at the La Pedrera–Casa Milà Auditorium in Barcelona, under the motto “Changing the Rules of the Game.” The event invited participants to reflect on how public and private healthcare systems can stop competing and start collaborating, sharing a single goal: the well-being of the patient. Over the years, the forum has become a leading meeting point for professionals in private medicine. This year’s edition brought together hundreds of healthcare experts to share perspectives on the future challenges of the health system and the essential role of cooperation between sectors.
Moderated by journalist Agnès Marquès, the debate sessions featured prominent figures from the healthcare field. Alicia Jiménez Mariscal, Head of Service at Quirúrgica Cirujanos Asociados, argued in favor of the compatibility between public and private systems: “The private sector should not fear the power of the public one, and the public sector should not fear the standards of the private one,” she stated. Family doctor Azucena Carranzo supported this view, adding: “Political ideology must not stand in the way of providing the best healthcare service. There is no position more ‘private’ than that of a civil servant.” Meanwhile, Ramon Massaguer, General Director of the Puigvert Foundation, presented the French model: “France’s primary care system, with its immediate reimbursement mechanism, is a good model to follow.”
They were joined by Dani Martínez Marroquín, Managing Director of Dexeus Mujer, who called for an update of the public healthcare model: “Demographics have changed, yet the healthcare system has not adapted. We no longer need a hospital in every corner of the territory. Citizens must have the freedom to choose,” he emphasized. Mónica Reig, professor at Esade Business School and Director of EsadeGov, also advocated for a public-private system: “The public sector cannot absorb the entire capacity; it must promote supervised collaboration with the private sector,” she remarked. Artur Mas, former President of the Government of Catalonia, supported this mixed model, asserting: “Enough of thinking that everything private is sinful and everything public is good. Those in the private sector may not be fashionable, but you are more necessary than ever.”
For her part, Elvira Bisbe, President of the Official College of Physicians of Barcelona, defended the quality and consistency of private healthcare within the Spanish and Catalan systems: “Private healthcare is structural—it is essential for the future. Every piece of the system is key,” she affirmed. Àlex Flor, CEO of Quirúrgica Cirujanos Asociados, called for boldness to undertake the major reform the sector still needs: “The key word is courage—there’s no other. Shall we take a step forward?” he asked. Finally, Masfurroll urged not to draw distinctions between coexisting models that work perfectly within the same system: “There is no public and private sector—there is only one. Those of us in the private sector should not feel inferior; we have nothing to be ashamed of,” he concluded.
Quirúrgica began its journey in 1986, when a group of surgeons founded a new model that sought to combine the best of public medicine—practical experience and ongoing training—with the strengths of private medicine—efficiency and patient-centered care beyond the illness itself—to deliver high-quality medical excellence. Today, it consists of a team of 19 surgeons working at Centro Médico Teknon, Hospital Universitario Dexeus, Hospital CIMA, and Clínica Sagrada Família, all in Barcelona.
Masfurroll began his professional career as an economist in the healthcare sector and participated in the creation of the Catalan Down Syndrome Foundation. He chaired the Social Council of the Autonomous University of Barcelona for nearly a decade, although he first gained wide recognition as a member of FC Barcelona’s executive board. He currently serves as advisor and board member for several companies, including Swedish firms Kreab Worldwide AB and EQT Capital Partners. Throughout his career, he has lectured as a visiting professor at prestigious business schools such as IESE, Esade, and Instituto de Empresa. He is also a mentor, advisor, and investor in young entrepreneurial ventures, a columnist in various media outlets, and the author of several key works in the field of business. His distinctions include the Creu de Sant Jordi of the Government of Catalonia, the Civil Order of Health Merit, and the Star of Solidarity of the Italian Republic.
