Long-term incentive regime for the restoration of activities in hospitals

The government extended until the end of March 2024 the stimulus regime for the restoration of care activities in hospitals, which made it possible to carry out more than 100,000 operations and more than 240,000 additional consultations.

According to information released this Friday by the Ministry of Health, with reference to a decree signed by Minister of Health Ricardo Mestre, adjustments are being made to the models that have been in effect until today.

The MoH note only refers to the promotion of care activities carried out in hospitals, not including those carried out within the framework of primary health care.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) recognizes the “importance of maintaining this program” at a time when structural changes are taking place in the internal organization of hospitals, namely the expansion of joint responsibility centers (CRI), which “aims to improve planning efficiency and respond to the needs of the population in the field of health “, the note says.

After the acute phase of the pandemic, which forced a deep reorganization of services, the MCH emphasizes that the National Health Service (SNS) registered a “strong momentum” of recovery of activity with “a significant increase in various areas of service delivery.” withdrawal accompanied by an increase in demand.

This year, more than 7.9 million face-to-face consultations were held in primary health care facilities through May, which is 9.4% more than in 2022. Nearly 1.7 million initial hospital consultations took place in hospitals, up 6% from 2022. .

The statement also highlights the fact that more than 355,000 surgeries were performed, up 11.1% from last year.

“The recovery in activity has resulted in an increase in destinations, an expected post-pandemic reality that has driven demand for and access to healthcare services and to which it is important to respond, which motivated the decision to expand incentives at this level. assistance where they can have a greater impact on compliance with the Maximum Guaranteed Response Time,” the note reads.

He also adds that the “positive assessment of the performance of joint hospital responsibility centers” remains in place this year to encourage the internal reorganization of SNS hospitals.

The extended stimulus program began in July 2020, helping to “accelerate the recovery trajectory” under the terms set out in the Program for Economic and Social Stabilization (PEES).

The Ministry of Health also reaffirms its commitment to “re-engineering the response” of the social network that meets the goals of “increasing public access to health care,” a process it considers “inseparable from improving professional careers and reformulating organizational models of care.”