Latest news and stories about private hospitals in Portugal for expats and residents.
In response to an ERS warning about diagnostic delays, the association of private hospitals says it has the capacity to meet the SNS’s demand but is urging the Government to guarantee the resources, contracts and regulatory clarity needed to mobilise that capacity. The claim highlights a policy tension over using private provision to reduce diagnostic backlogs while ensuring adequate public funding and oversight.
The circus performer complained about hours-long waits and the hefty bill after attending a private hospital.
The president of the Portuguese Association of Private Hospitalisation says the rise in demand is “neither unprecedented nor unexpected” and is due to low temperatures and the expansion of private hospitals.
The increase is attributed both to a cold spell with low temperatures over winter and to the expansion of the private hospital network.
Private hospital emergency departments experienced a roughly 20% increase in patient visits and demand for care during the period between Christmas and New Year.
Private hospital emergency departments recorded an average 20% increase in demand between Christmas and New Year compared with the same period the previous year, attributed to cold weather and greater availability of services, the industry association says.
