Lisbon, 20 June 2026 – On Thursday, private hospitals in Portugal and Spain signed the Lisbon Declaration, a joint document that sets out the key priorities for the future of healthcare systems and advocates a vision based on collaboration, innovation and sustainability.
Signed at the close of the 5th Iberian Summit of Private Hospitals, organised by the Portuguese Association of Private Hospitals (APHP) and the Spanish Private Healthcare Alliance (ASPE), the Declaration reaffirms the private sector’s commitment to improving citizens’ access to healthcare and to strengthening the responsiveness of the healthcare systems in both countries.
In the document, Iberian private hospitals highlight five priority areas for action: the creation of a stable and predictable regulatory framework for the sector’s development; the recognition of healthcare professionals; the acceleration of digital transformation and innovation; the strengthening of complementarity between the public and private sectors; and the promotion of a level playing field within the context of European health policies.
Hospitals across the Iberian Peninsula have highlighted common challenges facing healthcare systems, including staff shortages, an ageing population, rising demand for care, the need for technological modernisation and growing demands for financial sustainability.
The Lisbon Declaration recognises the essential role of private hospitals in the provision of healthcare services, innovation, research and technological modernisation, emphasising the importance of making full use of all available resources to address the demographic, technological and economic challenges facing Europe.
Among the priorities identified is also the need to develop ambitious strategies to attract, train, value and retain healthcare professionals, whilst promoting better working conditions, more integrated multidisciplinary teams and new skills associated with digitalisation and artificial intelligence.
In the technological sphere, private hospitals in Portugal and Spain advocate accelerating digital transformation, developing the interoperability of information systems, protecting citizens’ data and ensuring the responsible implementation of telemedicine and new digital solutions in healthcare.
The Declaration also emphasises that the future of healthcare systems requires effective complementarity between the public and private sectors, capable of improving access to healthcare, reducing waiting times and developing innovative solutions in areas such as prevention, mental health, telehealth and home hospitalisation.
The signatories also call on the European institutions to promote balanced regulatory conditions, recognise the contribution of all healthcare providers and guarantee non-discriminatory access to European funding, innovation and modernisation programmes.
What the key figures said
“Health is one of Europe’s most important economic ecosystems. Investing in health is not an expense, but an investment in human capital, economic growth and social resilience,” explained APHP President Óscar Gaspar.
“Major health challenges no longer recognise borders. We need shared responses to issues such as the sustainability of systems, the shortage of healthcare professionals and technological transformation,” stated ASPE President José Manuel Baltar.
“Sustainability cannot be just a buzzword. It is essential to ensuring that universal access to healthcare continues to exist for future generations,” argued the Secretary of State for Health Management. Francisco Catalão added that “healthcare systems must be understood as ecosystems in which the public, private and social sectors coexist”, emphasising the need for cooperation between all stakeholders.
Read the Lisbon Declaration: Declaração de Lisboa – ES Declaração de Lisboa – PT
