Displaced Patient Support Service carried out 2,497 interventions in the third quarter - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Saúde e Segurança Social

The Government of the Azores revealed today that the Displaced Patient Support Service (SADD) carried out 2,497 interventions in the third quarter of 2026, providing administrative, social, logistical and financial support to Azoreans who need to travel to Mainland Portugal to receive specialised healthcare.

The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, emphasised that “supporting patients who have to travel goes far beyond the administrative and financial aspects. We are talking about people who, for health reasons, have to leave their island, their home and, often, their family, so it is essential to ensure they receive the necessary support and guidance throughout this process.”

Between July and September, SADD handled 186 cases, with 165 concerning new patients, and registered 453 stays involving patients from the three regional hospitals.

The 2,497 interventions carried out mainly concern clarification and guidance on procedures relating to patient transfers, the provision of information on patients’ rights and responsibilities, the processing of financial contributions, the drawing up of support plans and the provision of psychosocial support.

During the same period, 434 patient transfers to referral hospitals in Mainland Portugal were recorded, with the main destinations being the Portuguese Institute of Oncology (IPO), Curry Cabral Hospital and Santa Cruz Hospital.

Out of the 453 hospital stays recorded, 301 corresponded to patients from the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital (HDES), 89 from the Santo Espírito Hospital of Terceira Island (HSEIT) and 63 from the Horta Hospital (HH).

In addition, SADD processed approximately €340,000 in financial contributions for patients who had to travel, covering support for daily allowances, the Special Supplement for Oncological Patients (CEDO) and transport.

As regards accommodation in Lisbon, the service provided support through the apartments located in Anjos and Alcântara, as well as through the provision of adapted accommodation for service users with specific needs.

The use of these services increased over the course of the quarter. At the Anjos apartments, the occupancy rate rose from 61.8% in July to 81.1% in September, whilst the adapted room registered an occupancy rate of 73.3% in the final month of the quarter.

Mónica Seidi also highlighted the contribution of the professionals working for SADD, emphasising that “the daily work of these professionals is essential to humanising the response provided to patients who have been transferred and their families, particularly at times of greatest vulnerability.”

The Government of the Azores reiterates the importance of an integrated response to patients who have to travel outside the Region, ensuring administrative, social, logistical and financial support, while also ensuring that such travel – which is necessary to access specialised healthcare – is matched with appropriate support for patients and their families.