Health reform – Diario do Minho

Reform means the act or effect of reform; A change made with the aim of improving or even new organization or modification of something existing.

This definition comes in relation to the much-touted reform of the National Health System (SNS) in the clear and obvious assumption that it needs, on pain of destroying itself as we have known and defended it for decades, changes, planning and improvements. And reorganization.

Portugal is at a crucial moment in its history in healthcare.

Under the leadership of the new Executive Directorate of the SNS, public health in Portugal faces significant challenges, especially with the increase in the number of health centers operating in the Family Health Unit mode (USF – Model B), where the clinical teams involved are paid according to their performance or through the creation of 31 units New local health care (ULS) – entities that group in a given area hospitals and health centers under the same management – ​​which will be financed according to the risky clinical practices of the population and not just by the number of medical works performed. In short, what is different will be treated differently, taking into account the results obtained.

The goal appears to be to restructure the health system, provide and improve the management of financial and human resources, as well as improve citizens’ access to health care.

However, this change raises many political questions, many concerns from trade unions, and involves the involvement of educational institutions, among others.

It also includes the need for strong investments in hospital infrastructure, modernization of medical equipment, and last but not least, the need to increase talent attraction and retention in areas with a shortage of healthcare professionals.

But will this be possible without reaching the necessary political and professional consensus? Without, for example, properly adjusting the professional conditions and wages of health workers?

As is well known, different political parties have different views (or no views) on the best approach to health care reform.

Professional orders, whose importance and crucial role cannot be underestimated, whether doctors, nurses or other health professionals, have their own views on the functioning of the system, with or without ULS, and claim not to be involved or heard in this process.

Educational institutions in turn, given their more active role in training health professionals, the need to adapt curricula to meet the evolving needs of the health system and their promotion of research and innovation programmes, call for due consultation and participation.

Reforms of this kind entail in themselves the need to reach, as much as possible, broad consensus… Despite the current single-party parliamentary majority, one should not simply impose wills, on pain of losing focus, purpose and policy adaptation. The whole process.

Then, after providing all the necessary mechanisms for responsibility and accountability, it will be necessary to take “from time to time” and measure the results… which I still hope to see scrutinized, with positive results for the population, before my reform!