Latest news and stories about healthcare in technology in Portugal for expats and residents.
A persistent IT failure within Portugal's National Health Service (SNS) continues to disrupt prescription processing and appointment scheduling across the country.
NHS information systems and services have been progressively restored following a power outage that occurred on Friday, with officials confirming that operations are now nearly fully functional.
The article critiques the systemic misclassification of clinical waiting times as 'social' admissions, while also addressing the shift in focus within USF reforms and the overall exhaustion of healthcare services.
Maria Manuela Faria, outgoing head of ADSE, advocates for a strategic shift towards health prevention and enhanced beneficiary monitoring within the public healthcare subsystem.
The union considers it unacceptable to attempt to amend a structural law such as the INEM Organic Law via decree, without promoting a broad debate or discussion in Parliament.
Professionals guarantee they are available for greater integration with the National Health Service, but the mechanisms to allow this are lacking. This will be one of the topics debated between May 28 and 30 at the 15th Congress of the National Association of Pharmacies, for which Expresso is a media partner.
A surge in data theft and fraudulent activities is compromising the personal information of thousands of Portuguese citizens, highlighting growing concerns over digital security.
Infarmed introduces the new Sinats evaluation system to ensure NHS reimbursement for obesity medication is contingent upon proven clinical and economic value through risk-sharing models.
An editorial by Sónia Sapage exploring the multifaceted frustrations of Portuguese nurses, including salary concerns, professional status, and systemic workplace issues discussed at the 7th Nurses' Congress.
The external paediatric surgery emergency department at Dona Estefânia Hospital will remain closed until Sunday.
The Liberal Initiative has requested the digital footprint of strike notice emails sent to the Ministry of Health to verify claims made by officials, while the parliamentary inquiry committee considers potential perjury charges against the Health Minister.
The Parliamentary Inquiry Committee will recall Rui Lázaro to testify regarding strike communications, while the PSD explores the potential removal of Cristina Vaz Tomé following recent testimonies from victims' families.
A new regional gynaecology and obstetrics emergency service has launched on the Setúbal Peninsula, operating across the Garcia de Orta and São Bernardo hospitals while relying on a mix of permanent and temporary medical staff.
The Garcia de Orta Hospital faces potential overcrowding and staffing shortages as it becomes a regional hub following the permanent closure of the Barreiro obstetrics emergency department.
Artificial intelligence is revolutionising tuberculosis diagnosis by enabling rapid identification via chest X-rays, helping to combat the disease's stigma and improve early intervention for respiratory conditions.
Orthopaedic surgeons, urologists, and endocrinologists from Gaia Hospital are visiting health centres to provide consultations. This initiative enhances accessibility and reduces hospital overload.
Évora Hospital has become the first public institution in Portugal to implement an AI system called Genius Digital Imager for cervical cancer detection. This innovative technology enhances the accuracy of screening by using AI algorithms and high-resolution image analysis to identify precancerous and cancerous lesions. The system aims to improve healthcare in the Alentejo region by ensuring efficient and accurate diagnoses, while also emphasizing the importance of prevention in combating cervical cancer.
The article discusses the necessity for the State to increase funding for the social sector to adequately address the costs associated with an aging population, ensuring universal access to care for all individuals.
One month after storm Kristin, the Leiria hospital continues to grapple with the aftermath of the disaster, which saw 177 polytrauma patients flood the emergency department in just six hours. Healthcare professionals faced significant challenges, including a lack of communication and blocked roads, forcing patients to arrive in their own vehicles. As attention shifted from the storm's immediate impact, underlying issues in the healthcare system have resurfaced, highlighting ongoing chaos and the need for improved public safety policies.
An elderly woman tragically passed away in the emergency room of Gracia de Orta Hospital in Almada while waiting for medical attention after being triaged and moved to the clinical observation area.
In response to recent information regarding the so-called “Paracetamol Challenge”, Infarmed has published a set of recommendations on its Facebook and LinkedIn social media platforms about the correct use of medications containing paracetamol.
ULS is investing 11 million euros in health units in Elvas, with construction of the new operating theatre at the Hospital de Santa Luzia starting on 2 March and expected to last around 4 months. During this time, surgeries will be conducted at the Hospital de Portalegre.
The ULS of Leiria is currently providing assistance to professionals, but there are concerns regarding the expected demand for support in the next three months.
Hans Jørgen Wiberg, who was born in Denmark in 1965 and lives with tunnel vision, co‑founded Be My Eyes in 2015 to reduce everyday barriers for people who are blind or visually impaired. The mobile app connects users with sighted volunteers through live video calls so volunteers can provide remote visual assistance on demand. While the model has strong accessibility impact and low technical complexity, it depends on the scale and quality of a volunteer network and raises operational questions around reliability, privacy and availability. Given the headline framing as an “AI” app, the service also highlights an intersection where human‑in‑the‑loop assistance could be augmented by machine vision — offering potential scalability but bringing technical, ethical and usability trade‑offs that warrant careful deployment.
Despite repeated technical assessments, confirmed financial capacity and clear structural proposals, the SNS and INEM keep failing to deliver timely emergency responses. This analysis points to implementation gaps — weak governance, fragmented coordination between national and regional bodies, staffing shortages and poor resource allocation — rather than lack of solutions; the result is delayed care that harms patients (including expats) and undermines public wellbeing. Addressing the problem requires transparent accountability, an independent audit of operational bottlenecks, data-driven redistribution of resources and political commitment to implement already-defined reforms.
Admiral Gouveia e Melo has urged a change in health leadership, saying the Government should resign if it cannot resolve systemic problems in the healthcare system. He accuses the State of failing across the board, criticises missed deadlines for delivering results and calls for accountability and urgent action to protect patients and medical services. The remarks frame the crisis as a leadership and policy failure with direct implications for care delivery and public confidence.
Ten years ago, Garcia de Orta Hospital in Almada opened the first hospital-at-home unit. Today there are already 50 Local Health Units offering this service — a way of delivering healthcare to 400 patients receiving inpatient care outside the hospital.
The circuit detects temperature with an accuracy of 0.01 degrees Celsius and requires very little energy.
Empathy, ethics, the integration of public, social, and private systems, and the benefits of using artificial intelligence in healthcare were the main topics at the DN Grand Conference. Experts discussed how digital transition is vital, yet AI cannot replace the 'human doctor' or the essential role of empathy in patient care. The panel also addressed the need for better health literacy, the importance of investment in increasingly expensive medical technologies, and the necessity for interoperable data systems across hospitals.
Becton Dickinson celebrates 25 years of presence in Portugal. In an interview with Observador, Bruno Taveira, the company's Country Lead in the country, reflects on this quarter-century.
