The hospitals in Portugal are a mix of both private and public. (hospital pblico) (hospital privado)
The Portuguese National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Sade, or SNS) oversees public hospitals. Large private healthcare organizations, on the other hand, run private hospitals.
Medical institutions, for the most part, are general and provide a wide range of specialties. Cardiology, gynecology, neurology, orthopedics, and pediatrics are examples of specialties. There are, however, specialized hospitals that cover specific fields such as oncology (oncologia).
Overall, medical care in Portugal is of high quality. Furthermore, the country ranks seventh in the world for English proficiency, implying that many doctors will be fluent in English. While some nurses or staff may only know a few words, there is usually someone nearby who can assist with translation.
Portugal has 238 hospitals, according to the National Statistics Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estatistica).
More than half of these (127) are private hospitals, with the remainder being either public or partially funded by the state. However, 23,500 of the 36,100 available hospital beds were in public hospitals.
In Portugal, you can go to the hospital for emergency treatment or a specialized consultation. Because state healthcare covers a portion of the costs, the majority of people in the country visit public hospitals. In fact, public hospitals provided 76.5% of emergency treatments and 59.8% of total appointments in 2019.
Public hospitals in Portugal, like in many other countries, are less expensive. Non-emergency treatment, on the other hand, can have lengthy wait times. So, while private hospitals are more expensive, they do have some advantages.
Portugal’s Public and Private Hospitals
Portugal has nationalized healthcare, ensuring that all residents have access to free healthcare. The SNS, the country’s National Health Service, is in charge of this system.
It is entirely free for the most part, though there are some minor fees charged for services that filter out unnecessary use.
Clinics and hospitals provide services, many of which are grouped into large health centers overseen by a single body.
Related: Top hospitals in Ireland
Another thing to keep in mind is that, while the SNS is intended to be a national healthcare system, it only fully applies to mainland Portugal. Residents of the autonomous regions of Azores and Madeira have their own regional healthcare system.
There is a healthcare subsystem that serves specific professions in addition to the SNS and regional versions. Beneficiaries under this system may have access to either public or private services, depending on their specific plan. Finally, people have the option of purchasing private insurance.
As a result, there are three types of hospitals in the hospital system: public hospitals overseen by the SNS, social hospitals that are primarily subcontracted to the SNS, and private hospitals.
Private hospitals, like public hospitals, are overseen by centralized organizations, with the difference that they are private corporations rather than government-run ones.
Several organizations run large healthcare systems with clinics, healthcare centers, and hospital locations across the country.
Many expats and visitors will find that private hospitals better fit their needs and insurance coverage because they primarily serve those who are part of the country’s healthcare subsystem as well as those with private insurance.
How Much Does a Hospital Visit in Portugal Cost?
Visitors to Portugal who are European and have a European Health Insurance Card have the same access to SNS services as Portuguese citizens, which means that many healthcare services are free or at a low cost.
For those who do not have access to the SNS or prefer to use the private system, the cost of a consultation with a general practitioner (GP) can be as low as two euros, while the cost of tests will be much higher, ranging from 80 to 200 euros for individual blood tests and x-rays.
See Also; Best private hospitals in Edmonton
Out-of-pocket costs for a single appointment with a specialist range from 80 to 200 euros for those who require medical care unexpectedly and do not have insurance.
However, for those planning an extended stay in Portugal, it is strongly advised to plan ahead and purchase international insurance that will be accepted by major private healthcare providers in the country.
Another consideration when selecting international insurance is medication coverage. In Portugal, the cost of medication can be quite high.
How can I get into the Portuguese public health system?
The government announced in June that the public healthcare system is now open to everyone, including expats and visitors. EU residents have the same rights as Portuguese citizens and can use public healthcare without a prescription.
However, for expats, the rules are slightly different; you must be a legal resident of Portugal with a valid visa or residency card. This will allow you to obtain the Nmero de Utente, or National Healthcare user number.
Having this number gives you the same rights to public healthcare as any other Portuguese resident. However, tourists who do not require a residency visa can still receive healthcare services in any hospital of their choice, but at an additional cost.
Hospitals in Portugal
On the SNS website, you can look for public hospitals (in Portuguese). Make sure to choose “Cuidados de Sade Hospitalares,” then select a district to find your nearest provider. For information on the quality of public hospitals, including ratings and waiting times, read the SNS benchmarking report.
A list of hospitals in Portugal’s major regions is provided below;
- Lisbon hospitals
Dona Estefânia Hospital
Website: Click here
Address: R. Jacinta Marto 8A, Lisboa, Portugal
Phone: +351 21 312 6600
- Curry Cabral Hospital
Address: R. da Beneficência 8, 1050-099 Lisboa, Portugal
Phone: +351 21 792 4200
Website: Click here
- Santa Maria Hospital
Address: Av. Prof. Egas Moniz MB, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
Phone: +351 21 780 5000
- São Francisco Xavier Hospital
Address: Estr. Forte do Alto Duque, 1449-005 Lisboa, Portugal
Phone: +351 21 043 1000
- Egas Moniz Hospital
Address: R. da Junqueira 126, 1349-019 Lisboa, Portugal
Phone: +351 21 043 1000
Website: Click here
- Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa
Address: R. Prof. Lima Basto, Lisboa, Portugal
Phone: +351 21 722 9800
Website: Click here
- Hospital da Luz
Address: Av. Lusíada 100, 1500-650 Lisboa, Portugal
Phone: +351 21 710 4400
Website: Click here
- Hospital CUF Descobertas
Address: R. Mário Botas, 1998-018 Lisboa, Portugal
Phone: +351 21 002 5200
Website: Click here
- Porto hospitals
Hospital Geral de Santo António
Address: Largo do Prof. Abel Salazar, 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
Phone: +351 22 207 7500
Website: Click here
- Clínica Central do Bonfim
Address: Av. de Fernão de Magalhães 442, 4349-008 Porto, Portugal
Phone: +351 22 510 3411
Website: Click here
- Hospital CUF Porto
Address: Estr. da Circunvalação 14341, 4100-180 Porto, Portugal
Phone: +351 22 003 9000
- Hospital de Santa Maria
Address: Rua de Camões 906, 4049-025 Porto, Portugal
Phone: +351 22 508 2000
Website: Click here
- Maternidade Júlio Dinis
Address: Largo da Maternidade de Júlio Dinis 30, 4050-651 Porto, Portugal
Phone: +351 22 207 7500
- Hospital Lusíadas
Address: Av. da Boavista 171, 4050-115 Porto, Portugal
Phone: +351 22 605 6450
Website: Click here
- Central Region hospitals
Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra
Address: Praceta Professor Mota Pinto, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal
Phone: +351 239 400 400
- Hospital da Luz Coimbra
Address: Praceta Professor Robalo Cordeiro, Circular Externa de Coimbra, 3020-479 Coimbra, Portugal
Phone: +351 239 096 900
Website: Click here
- Hospital CUF Coimbra
Address: R. Camilo Pessanha 1, 3000-600 Coimbra, Portugal
Phone: +351 239 700 720
- Alentejo hospitals
Hospital Particular do Alentejo
Address: Av. Gen. Humberto Delgado Lote 7, 7520-103 Sines, Portugal
Phone: +351 269 630 370
- Santa Luzia Hospital
Address: R. Maria Martins 954, Elvas, Portugal
Phone: +351 268 637 200
- Hospital do Espírito Santo
Address: Largo do Sr. da Pobreza, 7000-811 Évora, Portugal
Phone: +351 266 740 100
- Portimão Hospital
Address: Estr. do Poço Seco, 8500-338 Portimão, Portugal
Phone: +351 282 450 300
- Centro de Medicina Física de Reabilitação do Sul
Address: São Brás de Alportel, Portugal
Phone: +351 289 840 700
- Hospital Lusíadas Albufeira
Address: R. da Correeira, 8200-112 Albufeira, Portugal
Phone: +351 289 892 040
Website: Click here
- Hospital Particular do Algarve
Address: Estr. do Alvor, 8500-322 Alvor, Portugal
Phone: +351 282 420 400
Portuguese islands hospitals
- Hospital Internacional dos Açores
Address: Alameda do Conhecimento 3, 9560-421 Lagoa, Portugal
Phone: +351 296 248 000
Website: Click here
- Divino Espírito Santo Hospital
Address: Av. D. Manuel I, 9500-370 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Phone: +351 296 203 000
- Hospital de Santo Espírito da Ilha Terceira
Address: Canada do Briado, canada do briado 9700-049, 9700-049 Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
Phone: +351 295 403 200
Website: Click here
- Madeira Private Hospital
Address: Av. Mário Soares nº143, 9000-783 Funchal, Portugal
Phone: +351 291 003 300
Website: Click here
- Hospital Dr.Nélio Mendonça
Address: Av. Luís de Camões 6180, 9000-177 Funchal, Portugal
Phone: +351 291 705 600
- Hospital dos Marmeleiros
Phone: +351 291 705 730
Founded: November 1930
Number of beds: 120
FAQs about the hospitals in Portugal
- Is there a good hospital in Portugal?
Portugal has approximately 200 hospitals that are well-ranked by both international and European standards.
- Is Portugal’s healthcare system adequate?
Portugal’s healthcare system ranks 22nd out of 89 countries in the 2019 Health Care Index, with particularly high marks for infrastructure quality. A separate World Health Organization study ranked Portugal 12th in the world in terms of overall healthcare efficiency.
- How many hospitals are there in Portugal?
The number of hospitals in Portugal has been fluctuating slightly since 2000. There were 238 hospitals in the country in 2019, the most in the time period provided.
- Is healthcare in Portugal free?
Portugal provides free healthcare to children under the age of 18 and adults over the age of 65.
If citizens do not meet these requirements, and unless they require urgent care or have a unique situation, the NHS provides low-cost healthcare.
Conclusion on the hospitals in Portugal
Aside from the beautiful weather that Portugal has all year, moving to Portugal also promises good healthcare.
You now know the Important facts about Hospitals in Portugal after reading this article.
