Fundación Avedis Donabedian

What Fundación Avedis Donabedian does

Fundación Avedis Donabedian is a Barcelona-based non-profit foundation established in 1988, dedicated to improving healthcare and social service quality through education, research, and consulting. It operates the Instituto Universitario Avedis Donabedian, affiliated with the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), which confers academic credentials on its flagship educational offerings: a 60 ECTS Online Master's Degree in Quality and Patient Safety Management (€4,800 tuition) and a 30 ECTS Online Specialization Diploma (€2,400 tuition). These are complemented by a catalog of professional short courses covering topics such as JCI accreditation, process management, clinical safety, and quality evaluation, priced between €60 and €550, and by customized institutional training delivered to healthcare and social-sector organizations.

The foundation's underlying technology stack centers on proprietary quality improvement methodologies developed over 35 years, including Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Statistical Process Control, and frameworks aligned with EFQM, Joint Commission International, and ISO 9001. Digital assets include the SinergiAPS platform (a web-based audit/feedback intervention for primary care patient safety), the Quality Plan Design Methodology (a six-phase framework for diagnosis, consensus, implementation, and evaluation), and the e-pract Network Project Strategy (combining training with online benchmarking). The foundation is recognized as an official research institute by AGAUR and is a member of RICAPPS.

The business model combines five revenue streams: tuition from credentialed academic programs, fees from professional short courses, European and national research grants (Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, Instituto de Salud Carlos III), customized quality consulting and accreditation support services for healthcare and social organizations, and visibility-driven engagement through the annual Premios Avedis Donabedian awards (operating since 1989). Customers include hospitals, primary care centers, social-health organizations, public administrations across Spain and the EU, and an alumni network of more than 1,200 quality professionals spanning Spain and Latin America. Go-to-market is sales-led for institutional consulting and event-driven for academic programs, supported by direct website enrollment, information webinars, and the annual awards ceremony.

Name

Fundación Avedis Donabedian

Legal name

FUNDACIÓN AVEDIS DONABEDIAN PARA LA MEJORA DE LA CALIDAD ASISTENCIAL

Website

https://fadq.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fundación Avedis Donabedian is a Barcelona-based non-profit foundation (founded 1988) that delivers university-credentialed training, applied research, and consulting in healthcare and social-service quality improvement to hospitals, public administrations, and professionals across Spain and the EU.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Master's Degree Programs: Online Master's program in Quality and Patient Safety Management (60 ECTS) generating tuition revenue at 4,800€ per student with installment payment options.
2. Specialization Diploma Programs: Online Diploma in Quality and Safety Methodology (30 ECTS) generating tuition revenue at 2,400€ per student with payment plans.
3. Professional Short Courses: Individual courses ranging from 60€ to 550€ for professional development in specific quality and safety topics.
4. Research Project Funding: European research project grants including Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, and national research funding (Instituto de Salud Carlos III) for quality and safety research.
5. Quality Consulting Services: Customized consulting and support services for organizations developing quality plans, accreditation support, and quality evaluation services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fundación Avedis Donabedian delivers accredited university-level education (Master's and Diploma programs in Quality and Patient Safety Management) and professional short courses, complemented by quality assessment and improvement consulting services (clinical and organizational audits, indicator development, quality plans, accreditation support) for healthcare and social-service organizations. Its work is grounded in a proprietary quality methodology built over more than 35 years and delivered alongside research collaborations funded through EU and national grants.

Product overview

Fundación Avedis Donabedian is a non-profit organization focused on healthcare and social service quality improvement since 1988. Its educational offerings center on two main programs: the Online Master's Degree in Quality and Patient Safety Management and Methodology (60 ECTS) and the Online Specialization Diploma in Quality and Patient Safety Management and Methodology (30 ECTS), both awarded by the Autonomous University of Barcelona. These are supplemented by professional courses covering topics such as JCI accreditation, process management, clinical safety tools, and quality evaluation methodologies. The foundation also provides quality assessment and improvement consulting services, including audits, indicators, and accreditation support, and administers the annual Premios Avedis Donabedian awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Instituto Universitario Avedis Donabedian (UAB): University Institute affiliated with the Autonomous University of Barcelona, dedicated to research and education in healthcare and social service quality management and improvement.

Products and services

• Online Master's Degree in Quality and Patient Safety Management and Methodology

Quantifiable outcome

• 10-15% improvement target in patient safety practice adherence
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IMIM (Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023LIVERATION project: Pragmatic phase III RCT on radiofrequency in liver surgery. FAD leads evaluation of patient-reported outcomes (PREMs/PROMs) across 7 European countries, systematic reviews, Living Labs, and interactive decision tools. IMIM coordinates the project.
• European ENABLE NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023European network promoting good practices and technologies for medication adherence. FAD serves as lead partner of the ENABLE network, continuing work from COST ACTION ENABLE for awareness, training, evidence-based technologies, and reimbursement policies.
• Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023FAD's Instituto Universitario Avedis Donabedian is affiliated with UAB. Programs offer UAB degrees (60 ECTS Master's, 30 ECTS Diploma). UAB provides academic accreditation and institutional framework for research activities.
• Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023National funder of SinergiAPS project (hybrid type 1 clinical trial for patient safety in primary care). FAD develops training materials and provides support throughout the project phases. Project funded under Acción Estratégica en Salud 2021-2023 (PI22/01521).
• LINK (Learning and Innovation Network) ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022Erasmus+ funded project developing local Learning and Innovation Labs for integrated person-centered care. FAD leads learning lab for adolescents and youth with emotional/psychological support needs. Partners include Sweden, Latvia, Slovenia, Serbia, Norway, and European Social Network.
• Fundación Avedis Donabedian (FAD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022FAD coordinates the SAFEST project (Improving quality and patient safety in surgical care through standardization and harmonization of perioperative care in Europe), working with 10 hospitals in 5 EU countries. FAD leads WP1 (General Project Management) and WP3 (Guided self-assessment for implementation hospitals).
• ROUTE-HWF (Medical Deserts) ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022EU Health Programme funded project addressing medical deserts in rural and underserved urban areas. Partners include NIVEL (Netherlands), University of Vaasa, Jagiellonian University, and University of Zagreb Medical School. FAD contributes quality expertise.
• BUILD Project ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Horizon Europe project engaging elderly people with complex care needs, caregivers, communities, and policymakers in developing person-centered integrated care solutions. FAD leads identification of promising practices and policy recommendations.
• Obra Social "la Caixa" - Programa IncorporacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Long-standing partnership since 2006 developing quality systems for entities in the Incorpora program for social labor integration. FAD develops quality models, indicators, and provides external evaluation for entities serving people at risk of social exclusion.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Quality/Safety Training: UK-based organisation providing quality and safety training, accreditation, and awards across sectors; comparable as an established quality/safety training and accreditation body, though RoSPA is sector-agnostic rather than healthcare-focused.

Broad incumbents

• American Society for Quality (ASQ): Global professional association offering quality certifications, training, and a member community — comparable to FAD's professional short courses and Continuing Professional Development catalog, though ASQ is broader (industry-agnostic) while FAD specialises in healthcare.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): UK public body producing clinical guidelines, quality standards, and indicators — comparable to FAD's indicator development, evidence-based practice guideline work, and policy-level engagement with health ministries.
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI): US-based, globally recognised healthcare quality improvement organisation offering training programs, certifications, and consulting on patient safety, methodology, and accreditation — directly comparable to FAD's model of standardized methodologies (FMEA, RCA) plus degree-bearing and short-course offerings.

Direct peers

• International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua): Global membership organisation running international accreditation programs, education, and an annual conference on healthcare quality — directly comparable to FAD's mix of accreditation support, awards (Premios Avedis Donabedian), and professional training.
• Joint Commission International (JCI): World's leading healthcare accreditation body; FAD delivers JCI accreditation preparation courses and consulting, making JCI the principal standard-setter whose framework FAD's services operationalise.
• European Society for Quality in Healthcare (ESQH): European body promoting quality and safety in healthcare through education, conferences, and cross-country programmes — overlaps with FAD's European project portfolio (SAFEST, LIVERATION, BUILD) and academic training mission.
• National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ): US professional association providing healthcare quality certifications, continuing education, and a learning community — analogous to FAD's alumni network of 1,200+ quality professionals and degree programs.

Regional players

• Accreditation Canada: Canada-based healthcare accreditation provider with international programs; comparable to FAD in combining accreditation standards, assessor training, and quality methodology diffusion across geographies.
• Fundació TicSalut (Fundació de la Societat del Coneixement): Catalan public foundation promoting digital health and innovation in the health system; comparable regional peer in Catalonia working at the intersection of health services, technology deployment, and quality improvement methodology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundaci%C3%B3n-avedis-donabedian

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fundación Avedis Donabedian