Health: Digital technology or pay double?

The article critiques the Portuguese Ministry of Health's decision to allocate significant funds to the SNS 24 line, which diverts patients from their family doctors in USFs, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs. It highlights that patients with family doctors already have access to timely consultations, and the new system complicates care by introducing teleconsultations with unfamiliar doctors. The financial burden on the health system is expected to rise dramatically, with contracts increasing from €10.2 million to €77.5 million annually. The author argues that this shift undermines the established relationship between patients and their family doctors, ultimately degrading the quality of care.