Health Systems in Transition

Health systems in transition

Portugal

Fig. 2.1

Overview chart of the health system

Source

: Authors’ own compilation.

Note

: The Health Regulatory Agency does not include pharmacies, which is reflected in the figure, placed outside the blue box.

The overall legal framework of the system is the 1990 Basic Law on Health

(Law No. 48/90, of 24 August 1990), which introduces the principles for

the organization and functioning of the health system (Barros, Machado &

Simões, 2011). The 1990 Basic Law on Health is a pivotal legal act from the

Portuguese health system that established: the regionalization of health service

administration, by creating the RHAs; the possibility of privatizing sectors of

health care provision, by allowing the state to promote the development of the

private sector and the private management of public health care facilities; the

possibility of privatizing sectors of health care financing, by promoting the

option for VHI and the possibility of creating an alternative health insurance

Long-term Care Network

Hierarchical

Advisor

Negotiation

Regulation

Public Primary

Healthcare Units

Public Hospitals

Regional Health

Administrations

Pharmacies

Ministry of Health

National Health Council

Health Regulatory

Agency

Private Healthcare Units

(including primary and

hospital care)

Professional Associations

(Physicians,Nurses,etc.)