The event, held on September 29th, aimed to showcase the existing services at HTI and ULS Algarve, boost citizens' confidence in the National Health Service (SNS), and promote health. Topics covered included health literacy in inpatient settings, the importance of welcoming and family involvement in nursing, social action support and continuity of care, and functional adaptation and family support in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Parallel workshops provided useful information and demonstrations.
The president of the Lagos Municipal Chamber, Hugo Pereira, expressed pride in the work developed at the Terras do Infante Hospital, considering it top-tier in some specialties. He emphasized the need for continued investment to prevent the HTI from being peripheral in the region and shared information on municipal actions in coordination with the Board of Directors of ULS Algarve to improve the hospital unit's conditions. He also acknowledged the Organizing Committee, led by João Estevens (Coordinator of the Functional Unit of Medicine in Lagos) and Ludmila Pierdevara (Nursing Manager of Medicine Lagos - HTI), and the involved team.
At the opening session, Ana Paula Fidalgo, Clinical Director of the Hospital Area of ULS Algarve, noted that many citizens still resort to Emergency Services due to a lack of awareness of Primary Health Care, highlighting the need for hospital response to acute situations and the lack of community response to social problems. Attracting and retaining health professionals were identified as challenges.
Lígia Pires, a member of the Board of Directors of ULS Algarve, stated that "a hospital is also defined by how it approaches the community," emphasizing the importance of investing in health literacy. Nuno Vieira, director of the Medicine Service in Portimão and Lagos, also spoke at the opening session.
In the panel on Health Literacy in Inpatient Context, João Estevens cited studies considering the Portuguese SNS "the best in the world." Ala Manolachi and Vanessa Vicente, doctors from the Medicine Service of Lagos, argued that literacy can reduce readmission rates and that "good communication does not replace good treatment, but is part of it." Paula Braga Marques, a Social Worker at HTI, discussed the challenges of longevity, the distinction between clinical and social discharge, and family support.
The second panel, presented by nurses Inês Ventura, Soraia Afonso, and Cláudia Porteiro, focused on the Medicine Inpatient Unit in Lagos, the emphasis on humanizing care, particularly at the end of life, and confidence in the Basic Emergency Service.
The panel on the community network, moderated by Paulo Niza (Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lagos - SCML), featured Sofia Furtado and Rita Matos (Municipal Chamber), who presented projects like "Saúde em Movimento." António Duarte (Lagos Health Center), Ana Guerreiro (SCML), Márcio Regino (Volunteer Firefighters of Lagos and Civil Protection), and Olívia Gouveia (League of Friends of Lagos Hospital) detailed responses in primary care, home support, public health, and support for hospitalized patients.
The final panel, dedicated to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, included physiotherapist Raquel Marreiros dos Santos, occupational therapist Nícia Cavaca, and speech therapist Catarina Duarte. The work at the Specialized and Integrated Rehabilitation Center for Stroke Patients at Terras do Infante Hospital was highlighted, noted as the largest hospital inpatient unit for this specialty, crucial given that stroke is the 3rd leading cause of disability worldwide.
Vitor Mota, CEO of Portimão Hospital and Terras do Infante Hospital, concluded the event by stating that the SNS, despite facing a crisis, remains one of the best in the world. He expressed hope for the SNS's growth in the Algarve, despite the management challenges of ULS Algarve.
