Health Systems in Transition - Portugal

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Health systems in transition Portugal 41
Table 2.2
Patient information
Type of information Is it easily available?
(Yes/No)
Comments
Information about statutory benefits Yes Available at
Information on hospital clinical outcomes Yes Available at
,
although based on voluntary
reporting by hospitals
Information on hospital waiting times Yes Available at
Comparative information about the quality
of other providers (e.g. general practitioners)
Yes Some information
(e.g. readmissions, hospital
infections) available at
Patient access to own medical record Yes Upon patient’s request
Interactive web or 24/7 telephone information Yes Available at Saúde 24
(Tlf. 808 24 24 24)
Information on patient satisfaction collected
(systematically or occasionally)
Yes Study on patients’
complaints available at
Information on medical errors No
2.5.2 Patient choice
Patients in the NHS must register with a general practitioner (GP) and can
choose only among the available providers within a geographical area based on
their residence. Since May 2016, NHS users can be referred to a hospital out of
their residence area, as long as waiting times for a given procedure or outpatient
consultation are shorter (Decision No. 6170-A/2016, of 9 May). Secondary
care is subject to a gate-keeping process, with strict rules for referral both for
outpatient appointments and emergency room episodes. Choice of provider is
greater for those covered by a health subsystem or VHI.
The concept of health citizenship is not particularly widespread in Portugal.
The state tends to be regarded as responsible for the population health and
health care delivery, which reduces responsibility in relation to patient choice.
Although legal documents do refer to the possibility of patients having
choices in health care, the mechanisms needed for citizens to make choices
are not well developed. A first attempt was made in 2008, with the “dental
voucher”, specifically designed for dental care, where the public sector is
small. Under this programme, pregnant women have access to three “dental
pay cheques”, which give them the right to schedule a dentist appointment. The
elderly are entitled to two of these pay cheques per year. The first groups to