During the presentation of the 2025 Health and Environment Report, organized by the Portuguese Council for Health and Environment (CPSA) at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation on September 30th, Carlos Pinto Rodrigues, board member of SPMS, detailed the organization's contributions to a simultaneous digital and green transition in Portugal's healthcare sector.
In the discussion panel, Carlos Pinto Rodrigues demonstrated how digital and green transitions complement each other within the National Health Service (SNS), as part of an integrated sustainability strategy. The incorporation of environmental criteria in public procurement, the dematerialization of prescription circuits, the use of real-time data, building energy efficiency, and fleet decarbonization are examples of this future vision.
ESG principles, the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030, and European requirements are viewed as opportunities to improve governance models and promote more efficient and sustainable resource use in healthcare organizations. According to Carlos Pinto Rodrigues, "Approximately 44% of public procurement procedures in healthcare already include environmental criteria," highlighting the work of the Health Procurement Centre.
The SNS Control and Monitoring Centre, also part of SPMS, has processed invoices for 312 million examinations and 457 million medication packages, with a dematerialization rate of 98%. The Paperless Prescription initiative, which marked its 11th anniversary on September 25th, has issued over 520 million dematerialized prescriptions, with a 96.4% adoption rate in 2026.
The use of data, supported by Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, enables "preventively flagging deviations and combating waste with unprecedented precision," stated the SPMS representative, also noting the contribution of these tools to the traceability of public investments in the contracted sector and direct care provision.
The SNS 24 Line was cited as an example of how digital transformation facilitates access to healthcare and contributes to more appropriate use of SNS resources. In 2026, the SNS 24 Line handled over 5 million calls, while the SNS 24 Portal recorded 4 million visits, helping to reduce pressure on hospital emergency services.
The executive board member of SPMS also addressed the objectives of the Public Spending Review program, based on principles of efficiency, economy, and sustainability. Identifying redundancies and waste aims to free up resources for reinvestment in other areas of the SNS.
The 2025 Health and Environment Report, published annually, gathers indicators, studies, policies, and recommendations on the interconnection between health and environment, focusing on the Portuguese reality. The 2025 edition seeks to provide an updated view of the country's situation and contribute to more informed decisions and concerted action among institutions, professionals, and civil society.
The Portuguese Council for Health and Environment promotes a collaborative network of health sector organizations aimed at reducing the impact of environmental changes on population health and decreasing the environmental footprint, as well as public awareness, professional training, scientific research, and adaptation measures.
