Portugal's SNS reports 87% family doctor coverage rate

Portugal's National Health Service (SNS) has completed the classification of its National User Registry (RNU), revealing that 10.77 million users are currently enrolled. According to the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS), the family doctor coverage rate stands at 87%, with 9,234,694 eligible users having an assigned physician.

As of late August, approximately 1.36 million eligible individuals were still awaiting the assignment of a family doctor. The ACSS noted that while 98% of those enrolled in primary care met the eligibility criteria for a family doctor, the actual coverage gap remains significant.

The classification follows a structural reform initiated in 2017 aimed at providing more detailed information regarding the population enrolled in primary care. This reorganization of the 19.3 million existing records is intended to allow for more efficient resource allocation within the SNS. To improve transparency, two new indicators regarding the RNU will be made available monthly on the SNS Transparency Portal.