NOVEMBER 2018.
Oscar Gaspar, president of the Portuguese Association of Private Hospitals (APHP), participated in two important health events in Brazil.
The first event, the National Congress of Private Hospitals, took place in São Paulo, from the 7th to the 9th of November and was organized by the National Association of Private Hospitals (ANAHP). This 3-day congress gathered about 2.500 participants around numerous debates and lectures on relevant issues such as efficiency, ethics, financing, focus on the patient, value based healthcare, etc.
The Congress also featured a large exhibition area where health companies showcased various products such as clinical and management technologies, medical devices, pharmaceutical industry, etc.
Oscar Gaspar´s presentation entitled “The future of the health sector in Portugal – Where are we heading to? – Trends and challenges in the health sector and in the NHS”, highlighted the strong growth of private hospitals (due to factors such as orientation towards innovation and digital technologies, focus on the patient, the emphasis on value and quantification of results regarding each patient and their comparison with the associated costs) and gave some information on health challenges (demography, technology, knowledge, sustainability) which are currently being addressed in Portugal. Mr. Gaspar concluded that more investment in health will be necessary, that health should be a national priority, that the sustainability of the Portuguese health system requires new solutions and that the articulation between institutions and sectors will be fundamental.