The ULS of the West is the Western Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde do Oeste), a regional public health body that runs hospitals and primary-care services in the Oeste (West) area as part of the SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde). It uses real-time pharmacy data on flu symptoms to adjust emergency teams and resources during outbreaks or other health pressures.

An Unidade de Saúde Familiar (family health unit) is a multidisciplinary primary-care clinic within Portugal's National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) where GPs, nurses and other staff keep registered patient lists and provide routine care, appointments and specialist referrals. For residents and expats, being registered with a family health unit gives you a regular GP, easier access to prescriptions and referrals, and a clear route into the public health system.

Family medicine (Medicina Geral e Familiar) is the medical specialty that provides continuous primary care through family doctors who manage common illnesses, chronic diseases and preventive care. In Portugal these specialists are the backbone of the SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde); the story notes 57 doctors finished the specialty and 38 stayed in the NHS, giving family doctors to about 77,500 patients.