Latest news and stories about healthcare in technology in Portugal for expats and residents.
The Coimbra Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde or ULS) has successfully performed the first robot-assisted endoscopic ear surgery in Portugal. The procedure demonstrates high safety and precision, marking a significant advancement in surgical innovation for the national health system. The ULS of Coimbra is also noted for its capacity to work with all available models of cochlear implant electrodes.
The Shared Services of the Ministry of Health (Serviços Partilhados do Ministério da Saúde or SPMS) only identified unauthorized access to the data of 100,000 National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) users two days after the incident began. The president of the SPMS, Luís Goes Pinheiro, confirmed the delay during a parliamentary hearing.
The Shared Services of the Ministry of Health (Serviços Partilhados do Ministério da Saúde or SPMS) is the public agency responsible for managing information technology and procurement for the national health service. It handles the digital infrastructure and software systems used by hospitals and health centers across Portugal.
ULS Alto Ave is the Alto Ave Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Ave), a public body that runs hospitals and some primary-care services for the Ave area in northern Portugal. It is part of the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS), and recent staff strikes have affected overtime and complementary work, so residents should check local hospital notices before visiting.
The Portuguese unicorn Sword Health has partnered with the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) to offer remote, AI-driven physiotherapy across all public hospitals and health centers. The service will be available to patients at no cost, marking a significant integration of private health technology into the public sector.
ULS Alto Ave is the Alto Ave Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Ave), a public body that runs hospitals and some primary-care services for the Ave area in northern Portugal. It is part of the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS), and recent staff strikes have affected overtime and complementary work, so residents should check local hospital notices before visiting.
Sónia Sapage argues that human interaction must remain central to public services like the SNS24 Line, questioning the prioritization of AI funding over human-centric support.
Pre-hospital emergency technicians have called off their planned strike following a government agreement to reinforce INEM resources, including new SIV vehicles and a recruitment drive for 200 technicians.
The Almada-Seixal Local Health Unit reports it has not received official notification regarding the IGAS inspection into the Garcia de Orta Hospital following the suspension of voluntary pregnancy termination services.
The Portuguese government has mandated that hospitals must ensure timely abortion services and cover associated costs following reports of service disruptions at Garcia de Orta Hospital due to staffing shortages and planning failures.
The Left Bloc has requested an urgent ministerial hearing following the suspension of voluntary pregnancy termination services at Garcia de Orta Hospital, raising concerns that abortion access is becoming a right in name only.
An IT system error caused significantly inflated emergency waiting times to be displayed for Faro and Portimão hospitals, a claim denied by the ULS Algarve health authority.
The Ministry of Health denies reversing surgery rules but will form a working group to redefine minor surgeries following concerns over the SINACC digital system's impact on waiting lists.
The Santa Maria Local Health Unit is expected to launch a revised tender for the USF Lumiar project, aiming to address the needs of 8,000 patients currently lacking a family doctor.
The Portuguese Ministry of Health is classifying online prescription renewals as remote consultations, incurring a 30-euro cost per request, a practice justified by the ACSS as a necessary clinical assessment.
Nuno Castro Marques argues that the European Health Data Space must avoid creating redundant infrastructure while addressing the transition from analogue bureaucracy to digital healthcare in Portugal.
The UK government and unions have finalized a two-phase pay increase agreement for diagnostic and therapeutic technicians, set to be fully implemented by 2027 following performance evaluations and career path restructuring.
Patients with severe heart disease face critical delays in accessing percutaneous valve replacement (TAVI), leading to preventable mortality and disability for those ineligible for traditional surgery.
The INEM Workers' Commission has raised alarms over critical failures in the new OnCall computer system used by emergency dispatch centers, demanding immediate clarification from leadership regarding risks to resource deployment.
A serious and technically supported public discussion is essential regarding the future training of professionals who provide specialised pre-hospital emergency medical care.
CUF CEO Rui Diniz announced that the healthcare group has successfully integrated over 20 artificial intelligence applications, significantly enhancing clinical operations and service delivery.
A research team led by Paula Videira at NOVA University Lisbon has developed a breakthrough antibody that precisely differentiates cancer cells from healthy tissue, earning the scientist a nomination for the European Inventor Award.
The Central Administration of the Health System is conducting a phased update of the National User Registry throughout July, affecting approximately 20 million records to streamline the assignment of family doctors.
The NHS is considering prescribing tablets for home physiotherapy, a model already successfully implemented in Beira Baixa that reduced patient waiting times from two years to ten days at a cost of 200 euros per user annually.
The NHS is set to launch a new data centre in Évora by the end of the year, providing real-time redundancy for its existing facility in Porto to ensure service continuity in the event of system failures.
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.
