AI advancements drive healthcare innovation in Portugal

Portugal is seeing advancements in the application of artificial intelligence within the healthcare sector. The SNS 24 symptom triage project, developed by SPMS, was awarded the ‘Health’ subcategory at the ‘Excellence in Data & AI 2026’ awards. This AI-driven tool supports clinical triage before professional consultation, having assisted in over 185,000 clinical triages in 2026.

Additionally, research from the University of Porto’s Faculty of Engineering (FEUP) has been recognized by the Ordem dos Engenheiros – Região Norte. The award-winning master's research utilizes AI and advanced image processing to evaluate malignant wounds in advanced cancer patients. By integrating visible and thermographic images, the methodology converts visual information into quantitative data to complement clinical assessments in palliative care.