The numbers indicate that in 2023 the 129 private hospitals associated with APHP responded to more than one million and 425 thousand emergency episodes, representing an average of 3,900/day and an increase of 4.5% in in relation to 2022.

By comparison, the public sector responded to more than 6.1 million emergencies.

According to APHP figures, private hospitals also performed more surgeries in 2023, with a total of 257,743, which is equivalent to more than 700 per day. Of the total number of surgeries, 12,746 were under SIGIC, the program to recover surgical waiting lists in the National Health Service.

The number of births also increased in private hospitals, following the national trend. In 2023, 14,101 were performed in private hospitals, which is equivalent to more than 17.5% of births carried out in Portugal.

In a statement, APHP also highlights the “important increase in differentiation in the health care provided”, with private hospitals accompanying it in treating more than 26 thousand cancer patients and responding to more than 316 thousand dental patients.

Private hospitals also carried out more tests last year, namely CT scans (computed tomography) and MRIs, which grew, respectively, 7.4% and 11.6%.

Quoted in the statement, the president of APHP, Óscar Gaspar, considers these numbers show that the national health system “is clearly strengthened by this effort”.

“The work carried out throughout 2023 by private hospitals once again reinforced the importance of these providers in extending healthcare to all citizens”, he adds.

As for human resources, AHPH data shows that private hospitals have 20,413 doctors, 9,303 nurses, 6,764 medical assistants, 3,975 technicians and 7,104 administrative staff.