Recently, at a meeting with health sector professionals, the question arose about what is currently the biggest problem in healthcare in Portugal. For years, the answer seemed obvious: the SNS waiting lists, the difficulties in access and the crowded emergency rooms. However, something has changed. Today, the same problems are beginning to be reflected in the private sector as well, with appointments that take months, specialties with exhausted capacity and increasing difficulty in finding a quick response even for those who have health insurance.
The situation raises an uncomfortable question. If even health professionals and hospital managers face access difficulties, is the problem really limited to a shortage of doctors? In theory, Portugal does not have a shortage of doctors when compared to many European countries. The answer deserves deeper reflection: perhaps the problem lies in the organization of available resources, with highly qualified professionals spending excessive time on administrative and bureaucratic tasks.
The article also points to the need to discuss the behavior of the users themselves. We are witnessing an extraordinary democratization of access to private healthcare, which is positive, but also a curious phenomenon: when something becomes more accessible, it tends to be used more, not always out of necessity. Examples include going to emergency rooms to obtain administrative documents, requesting home visits for minor situations, or seeking multiple medical opinions without evident clinical need.
The challenge becomes even more complex due to structural trends: we live longer, we have more chronic diseases, higher expectations and less tolerance for uncertainty. The author concludes that we need better management, more health literacy, more efficient use of professionals and greater individual responsibility. Prevention remains the best strategy, because hospitals are essential but no one actually wants to need them.
