Portugal Reaches 86% eHealth Maturity in EU Digital Decade Study
Portugal achieved an overall eHealth maturity score of 86% in 2023, representing a significant increase from 63% in 2022 and exceeding the EU-27 average of 79%.
The findings are included in the 2024 Digital Decade eHealth Indicator Study – Annex: Country Factsheets, which assesses citizens’ online access to electronic health data across EU Member States and selected non-EU countries.
Significant Improvement in Portugal’s eHealth Maturity
The study identifies Portugal as having made substantial progress in digital health maturity during 2023.
Portugal moved from 23rd position in 2022 to 11th position in 2023 in the study’s overall maturity ranking. The country also performs above the EU average across several dimensions assessed in the framework.
A centralised nationwide access service for electronic health records is technically available in Portugal.
Access to Health Data
Portugal achieved a score of 83% for health data categories, compared with an EU-27 average of 74%.
The study reports that citizens can access a wide range of electronic health information, including:
identification and personal information;
allergies and health problems;
medical devices and implants;
procedures and operations;
medicines;
laboratory test results;
medical imaging reports;
ePrescriptions;
eDispensation information.
The lowest-scoring area within this dimension was electronic results and reports, with a maturity score of 50%.
Medical Devices and Implant Information
Of particular relevance to the medical device sector, the study indicates that information relating to medical devices and implants is available to Portuguese citizens through the electronic health record access system.
The detailed Portugal factsheet includes medical devices and implants among the individual information categories available through the service.
This illustrates the increasing integration of medical device-related information into digital health records and broader patient-access systems.
Remaining Gaps in Data Availability
Despite Portugal’s strong overall performance, some categories remain unavailable through the online access service.
The report identifies medical images and hospital discharge reports as the two investigated data types that were not yet available to citizens.
The study therefore recommends making both categories available through Portugal’s online health record access service.
Nationwide Digital Access
Between 80% and 100% of Portugal’s population is technically able to access electronic health records online.
Access is available through both:
online portals;
native mobile applications.
Authentication uses an electronic identification system compliant with the eIDAS Regulation.
The detailed country results also show full scores for the existence of the access service, authentication and digital platform availability.
Healthcare Provider Participation
Portugal has also expanded the number of healthcare providers contributing information to electronic health records.
The study states that 9 of 11 applicable categories of healthcare providers supply relevant health data.
The more detailed results translate this into a healthcare-provider connectivity score of 82%.
All assessed provider categories contribute information except private rehabilitation centres and private mental health facilities.
This represents substantial progress compared with 2022, when data supply was reported mainly from pharmacies and public primary and secondary or tertiary hospitals.
Laboratory and Medical Imaging Reports
One area of improvement highlighted by the study is the availability of diagnostic information.
Portugal now makes laboratory test results and medical imaging reports available to citizens in a timely manner.
This supports broader patient access to diagnostic information and strengthens continuity of care across healthcare settings.
SNS24 App
The study also highlights functionality available through the SNS24 app.
A drug information leaflet is available for individually prescribed medicines, using information from national agency sources.
According to the report, the leaflet provides information supporting correct medicine use and includes information about possible side effects.
Citizens can also access their blood donation history, including the number of donations and their blood type, through the national application and portal.
Access for Different Categories of People
Portugal scored 75% for access opportunities for different categories of people, compared with an EU average of 77%.
The country complies with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, according to the study.
The detailed results indicate that functionality relating to legal guardians and authorised persons remains an area where further implementation is possible.
Legal Guardians and Authorised Persons
The report notes progress in allowing legal guardians to access health information on behalf of their wards.
However, one of the recommendations is to build on existing legal provisions and further implement technical functionality allowing both legal guardians and authorised persons to access electronic health information on behalf of another individual.
This represents one of the remaining areas for improvement in Portugal’s digital health infrastructure.
Recommendations for Portugal
The study identifies two main recommendations for further development:
make medical images and hospital discharge reports available to citizens through the online access service;
expand technical functionality enabling legal guardians and authorised persons to access electronic health data on behalf of others.
These recommendations indicate that Portugal’s remaining gaps are increasingly focused on completeness of data access and delegated access functionality rather than the existence of basic digital infrastructure.
Impact on Digital Health and Medical Device Stakeholders
For healthcare providers, medical device manufacturers, digital health companies and regulatory teams, Portugal’s results demonstrate the continued expansion of electronic health data access and interoperability.
Stakeholders should pay particular attention to:
integration of medical device and implant information into electronic records;
citizen access to health data;
eIDAS-based authentication;
mobile and portal access through national infrastructure;
healthcare provider connectivity;
interoperability of laboratory and imaging information;
accessibility requirements;
delegated access for carers and authorised persons;
future expansion of health data categories.
For medical device and digital health organisations, the broader trend is toward increasingly connected healthcare ecosystems in which device information, diagnostic results and other health data are expected to become accessible through integrated patient-facing digital platforms.
