Carried out by the ERS every six months, the National Health Assessment System takes into account 160 health care providers (hospitals and clinics) and evaluated 127, or around 80 percent of them.
Of those, 106 achieved a one-star rating, one fewer than this time last year, which corresponds to the highest level of classification, or ‘clinical excellence’.
A rating of ‘clinical excellence’ reflects results from various procedures and diagnoses, from fields including strokes, heart, outpatient and colon surgeries, and acute myocardial infarction.
The units that fulfil initial requisites move up to a second level of evaluation, which is calculated on an individual ratingsbasis, with quality level classifications that range from I (lowest) to III (highest).
The ERS stressed that this year there has been an increase in the number of units achieving a III quality-level classification in the areas of obstetrics and intensive care.
Improvements have also been found in other key indicators such as the choosing, administration and interruption of prophylactic antibiotic treatment, promoting of breast-feeding in neonatal units, and anti-biotic treatment within the first six hours of arriving at hospitals.
Regarding obstetrics, progress has been made in terms of the pre-natal administration of steroids, and developments were also noted in the areas of neurology, outpatient services, intensive care and the assessment of chronic pain.
Gaia Hospital was the country’s top-ranked unit, and four of the top-five hospitals in the country were located in northern Portugal.
Lisbon’s Santa Marta Hospital was found to provide the best care in terms of heart attacks, followed by the São Sebastião Hospital in Santa Maria da Feira, and Braga Hospital.
Fifteen hospitals, including Porto´s São João, refused to take part in the assessment.