Dexeus, a history of Barcelona

Not all stories have a happy ending. After a long conflict with partners, the Doctor Santiago Dexeus he is forced to leave the clinic that bears his name.

The gynecologist goes to the Tres Torres clinic to continue practicing his profession, this time from the SOMDEX gynecological clinic. The partners take advantage of a compulsory retirement clause included in the statutes upon reaching the age of 65.

The Somdex Gynecological Clinic is a family business of the Dexeus family, located in the Tres Torres Clinic in Barcelona. The Dexeus family is known for their work in gynecology and has founded the famous Dexeus Clinic. Recently, some members of the Dexeus family have moved to Sanitas, a competitor of the Clínica Tres Torres.

Long and traumatic conflict

Santiago Dexeus i Trias de Bes found himself in the unpleasant situation that the pass to access the hospital with his car had been cancelled. He was also unable to access his office. Patients who asked to arrange a visit with Dr. Dexeus were simply informed with a brief message that their gynecologist had ceased all care practice.

After more than a year of harsh tensions between Santiago and several of the partners, the separation is confirmed. One of the partners, Pere Nolasc barri, responsible for assisted reproduction, champions all the differences that arise between the two parties. The differences coincide with the transfer of the clinic to Paseo Carlos III, abandoning the historic clinic on Paseo de la Bonanova.

USP-Institut Universitari Dexeus, has not only been outside. In addition, its president, Gabriel Masfurrol, has tried unsuccessfully to mediate between both parties. Although USP owns the hospital, assistance is provided by different companies that have an exclusive contract with the center. The conflict extends to almost 300 workers who are the ones who make up the gynecology, obstetrics and assisted reproduction team.

USP continues to be governed by the statutes created by its founder, Santiado Dexeus i Font, which in addition to regulating access and dividing up property, determine forced retirement at 65 years of age. Something that today is totally obsolete, since at that age a doctor can be in perfect condition to practice his profession.

When Santiago Dexeus turned 65 in the year 2000, the partners themselves agreed to ignore the retirement clause, allowing the gynecologist to continue in the clinic. They did so both to recognize that he was a basic pillar in the development of the clinic founded by his father, and for "his care activity, his scientific production and his social representation", as appears in a contract that has been renewed in periods of two years.

Problems begin to arise (according to Santiago Dexeus' version) when both Barri and himself realize that the clinic has grown so much that it needs a new professional and managerial approach. The move to a new hospital was the perfect opportunity for new momentum and the addition of a new equity partner. The appraisal of the company requested by the partners is disproportionate (15 million euros) for some sources and opens the possibility of profits in the event of a possible sale. Santiago Dexeus has 23%. If a partner retires, the rest increases his participation.

Santiago had no intention of retiring, despite the fact that he himself stepped away from management tasks and even resigned from the center's management in favor of Barri. When the clinic moved, several partners expressed their strong intention to sell their part to a new partner with capital, provided that they will be paid according to the appraisal made. This is the right moment when the conflict begins. It was not possible to specify who would stay in the clinic and with what participation. With no possibility of agreement between both parties, Dexeus proposed a separation between gynecology and assisted reproduction. However, Barri rejected it and the partners decided to enforce the aforementioned forced retirement clause.

Since 2006, Dexeus confesses to having lived "two and a half horrible years, with offensive letters and intolerable humiliations." The mandatory retirement clause works against him, although he has decided to go to court. Meanwhile, Barri tries to avoid public confrontation. Although he has been asked from various sources to tell his version, he has limited himself to commenting that “I consider that the situation is very unfortunate. Out of respect for the figure of Santiago Dexeus, I do not want to make any comments.

Finally, it should be noted that Dr. Santiago Dexeus founded the gynecological clinic in 2016 Women's

Said Doctor Santiago Dexeus y Trias de Bes, son of the also gynecologist Santiago Dexeus y Font, who started the path of what this family of doctors is today; brother of Dr. Josep Maria Dexeus, with whom he founded the Dexeus University Institute; currently scientific director of the Women's Health Institut, a center that is linked to the Mi Tres Torres clinic in Barcelona; and father of Damián Dexeus, also a gynecologist, who voluntarily leaves the Dexeus Institute to work with his father, thus forming a family business in Spain, who are making history when it comes to women's health.