Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition with significant clinical, social and economic repercussions throughout life. According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated to affect approximately 1 in 160 children worldwide. Its origin is multifactorial, resulting from the interaction between genetic factors, such as mutations in genes associated with brain development, and environmental…

Eye diseases represent a growing public health challenge in Portugal, significantly compromising the population’s quality of life. The increase in their prevalence is associated with various factors, such as demographic ageing, excessive use of digital devices, inadequate lifestyle habits and limited access to ophthalmological consultations, especially in regions with less health service coverage. These factors…

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a highly contagious disease with the potential to cause serious complications, requiring the isolation of infected individuals and appropriate clinical follow-up. While severe cases require hospitalization, patients with mild symptoms can remain at home and be monitored regularly by primary healthcare physicians — at the beginning of the…

Healthcare-associated infections pose a serious public health threat, as they are acquired during medical treatments or hospital stays, often leading to prolonged hospitalizations, high costs for healthcare systems and high mortality rates. Portugal has one of the highest rates of healthcare-associated infections in Europe, aggravated by the concerning rise in resistance to last-line antibiotics. These…

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting more than 55 million people globally and accounting for around 70 percent of dementia cases. In Portugal, it is estimated that 200,000 people live with this condition, posing significant challenges to health systems due to the need for long-term care and the high associated costs….

Portugal has one of the highest aging populations in the world, placing increasing pressure on elderly care services, especially in nursing homes. Healthcare professionals in these facilities are often overwhelmed due to the increasing number of elderly residents, shortage of human resources, and insufficient investment in infrastructure. Many still rely on paper-based documentation for clinical…

Demographic ageing poses significant challenges to healthcare systems, intensifying the pressure on infrastructures and human resources. It is estimated that by 2050 the elderly population will exceed 2 billion people, making it imperative to implement innovative solutions to ensure effective and sustainable care. Assistive technologies play a fundamental role in promoting the autonomy and quality…

Paroxysmal diseases are characterized by sudden, episodic conditions that cause temporary changes in the body. Among them, epilepsy stands out for causing synchronous and uncontrolled neuronal discharges, resulting in recurrent and unprovoked seizures. These seizures may involve a loss or change in level of consciousness, abnormal movements or psychological symptoms. Other conditions, such as migraines,…

Vascular diseases, such as carotid stenosis (narrowing of the carotid arteries, which connect the heart to the brain, caused by the accumulation of fatty atheroma plaques), cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) (sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain), atherosclerosis (accumulation of atheroma plaques in the arteries, leading to arterial hardening and narrowing), deep vein thrombosis (formation…

Aging is a gradual, multifactorial and continuous process characterized by the progressive loss of biological function and degeneration associated with the onset of age-related diseases. In Portugal, the aging of the population is particularly noticeable, with the population projected to fall from 10.3 to 7.5 million by 2080, while the number of elderly people will…

The growing use of electronic health records, digital diagnostic systems and remote monitoring technologies has led to a significant increase in the volume and complexity of health data. This increase intensifies the need for continuous, secure and accurate exchange of clinical, administrative and laboratory information, which is essential for effective clinical decisions and the optimization…

Breast-conserving surgery aims to remove tumors while preserving as much healthy breast tissue as possible, ensuring optimal aesthetic outcomes that are critical for a patient’s quality of life. To achieve this objective, precise location of the tumor is necessary during surgery, which is normally performed with the patient lying face-up (supine position). To plan the…

Workers face growing challenges in the industrial environment. Among the most critical are fatigue and inappropriate postures, often associated with repetitive tasks and working conditions that lack ergonomic suitability. These factors represent significant risks for the development of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs), responsible for 53% of occupational illnesses and a considerable economic impact, with annual…

PAD is a prevalent chronic condition, affecting approximately 200 million individuals globally, characterized by obstruction of the peripheral arteries, especially in the lower extremities, due to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, which compromise blood flow and tissue oxygenation. In the early stages, PAD is predominantly manifested by intermittent claudication, a condition characterized by pain or…

Orthopedic surgery addresses conditions of the musculoskeletal system to alleviate pain, restore function, and enhance the patient’s quality of life. Its success relies on meticulous pre-operative planning that incorporates clinical data and patient-specific imaging to develop precise surgical strategies. These procedures often demand accurate implant placement, such as screws and other fixation materials. However, the…

Poliempreende is a consolidated national network for encouraging entrepreneurship in higher education in Portugal, with two decades of existence. Focused on promoting innovation, the competition has had a significant impact on the national economy, with the creation of around 100 companies, the registration of 100 patents and trademarks and the participation of more than 12,000…

Many patients face difficulties scheduling medical appointments in hospital units, and, when successful, they often endure long waiting times to be attended. This situation is aggravated by problems such as the incompatibility of schedules between patients and healthcare professionals and structural gap between the demand for medical care and the available response capacity. As a…

In recent years, digital transformation in healthcare has played a crucial role, driven by the exponential increase in medical data. This ranges from administrative information to detailed records of diagnoses, laboratory tests, medical images and prescriptions. This vast volume of data presents significant challenges for hospital systems, which need robust solutions to store, process and…

In recent years, ULSAS has been gradually implementing robotic systems, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and improving healthcare. Recently, the institution acquired a state-of-the-art robotic system, developed under the concept of an ‘immersive intuitive interface’, which stands out for the way it transforms healthcare professionals’ interaction with technology. Unlike conventional interfaces, which require a high…

Anxiety disorders are a global problem, affecting 300 million people worldwide and placing significant pressure on individuals and healthcare systems. In Europe alone, the economic impact reached 74.380 million in 2010, with 62.2% attributed to healthcare costs and 37.6% to productivity losses. Despite advances in anxiety treatment, these disorders remain highly prevalent due to limited…

Facial paralysis, defined by the inability to move one or both sides of the face, has an incidence of 20 to 30 cases per 100,000 people annually. This condition often causes facial weakness, difficulties in eating and drinking, and asymmetry that disrupts an individual’s identity, hinders effective communication and emotional expression. This can result in…

The growing number of people with anxiety disorders, along with increased awareness of mental health, drives the need for new technological tools that provide remote and continuous monitoring of anxiety and panic disorders. Thus, the growing trend in the wearables market, such as smartwatches and health monitoring bracelets, together with the collection of physiological data,…

Currently, robotic systems for ultrasound diagnostic procedures fall into two main categories: portable robots that require manual positioning and fully autonomous robotic systems that independently control the ultrasound probe’s orientation and positioning. Portable robots rely on assistants to position the probe, which can introduce variability, reduce precision, and complicate the physician’s intuition during tele-manipulation due…

The CLARIFY Decision Support Platform (DSP) is a responsive web application designed to support decision-making in cancer care through real-time data integration and predictive analytics. Built on Big Data Europe, the platform integrates a variety of data, including scientific publications, clinical anonymized data from EHR, genomic data, wearable monitoring data, and quality of life questionnaires….

Currently, the practice of recording clinical information in “free text” offers flexibility, but hinders automatic data extraction, limiting the application of analytical models. Most records are unstructured, and the use of non-standard abbreviations increases ambiguity, making interpretation difficult. Manual review is slow and prone to errors, while clinical decision support systems, which rely on structured…

The goal of the FAITH project (Federated Artificial Intelligence solution for moniToring mental Health status after cancer treatment) is to remotely identify and predict depressive symptoms in cancer survivors using a federated machine learning approach that prioritizes privacy. The target audience includes healthcare professionals, researchers, technology developers and cancer survivors. The FAITH project leverages the…

With more than half a million hospital medical consultations carried out in the first half of 2024, the ULS of Coimbra stands out as an institution dedicated to integrated, high-quality and patient-centered healthcare, with 8 hospital units and 26 health centres. The 8 hospital units of the ULS of Coimbra have started operating with a…

The Elderly Care Ecosystem (ECE) is an integration of various digital health technologies, exploring the areas of telehealth and predictive analytics. The goal of this ecosystem is to improve the quality of life for elderly individuals by providing tailored care services that adapt to their changing needs over time, promoting greater autonomy and well-being. With…

The SCAARF technology aims to offer an alternative method to alleviate anxiety symptoms in a non-intrusive and subconscious way. This technology is an innovative idea in the field of digital health and wearable technology, designed for people who suffer from anxiety disorders. SCAARF technology consists of a smart scarf that incorporates a sensor that detects…

Nearly half of all adults in the United States have hypertension, one of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and only about a quarter (24%) of those people have their hypertension under control. Studies show that there are racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in the awareness and treatment of hypertension. Patients from groups traditionally…

IPDM has significant potential to improve diabetes management and drive health system reforms to become high-performing, effective, equitable, accessible, and sustainable. Evidence and good practices inspire health system transformation. Adopting person-centred approaches like co-creation and shared decision making enhances patient engagement and outcomes. Technological advances, including AI, are foreseen to improve diabetes care through automation…

The European Health Data Space will be a common health data sharing system across the European Union. It foresees the use of data for purposes that benefit people and society. It will ensure citizens have universal access, without linguistic, administrative, or structural barriers, guaranteeing patients full control over their health information. Over the past two…

Margarida Tavares spoke at the opening of the conference ” O Digital na promoção contínua da saúde e do bem-estar”, organized by the Associação para a Promoção e Desenvolvimento da Sociedade da Informação (APDSI) and held in Lisbon, on 14 December 2023. The speech by Margarida Tavares, Secretary of State for the Promotion of Health,…

The radiology service of ARS Algarve has already performed nearly 29,000 exams using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. In recent years, there has been a significant investment in image digitization and data storage, as well as in AI for reading chest exams, retinography images, and in the “Radiology in the Community” project (a portable X-ray unit…

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of digital services in health, but complex rules and increasing cyberattacks make it difficult to share data across Member States; the EHDS, based on several regulations, provides tailor-made rules for the health sector and will leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence, and cloud computing to improve security and interoperability….

The European Commission has amended the Digital Europe Programme work programmes 2023-2024, investing an additional €762.7 million in Europe’s digital transition and cybersecurity. The digital transition is the main work programme with a budget of nearly €549 million. Over half of the amount is intended to continue and evolve previous activities, covering projects with supercomputers,…

SPMS participates in the TEF-Health initiative as a partner in a consortium composed of 51 entities from 9 European Union countries. This action is co-financed by the European Commission and has a duration of five years. The initiative involves the development of Testing and Experimentation Facilities for Health AI and Robotics. The consortium aims to…

The InHealth Junior Academy — Academia Júnior de Inovação em Saúde is an initiative of the Departamento de Medicina da Comunidade, Informação e Decisão em Saúde da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto (FMUP). This Junior Academy offers free interactive and hands-on sessions to young people, allowing them to develop a health innovation mini-project….

The GDHP is an intergovernmental organization in the digital health sector that facilitates cooperation and collaboration between government representatives and the World Health Organization (WHO). Its purpose is to foster policymaking that promote the digitalization of the health sector on a global scale. It aims to encourage synergies among its members, focusing on the development…

The “National Digital Skills Initiative e.2030, Portugal” (INCoDe.2030) is an initiative that aims to improve the Portuguese population’s level of digital skills, placing Portugal at the level of the most advanced European countries in this dimension by 2030. The Roadmap INCoDe.2030 – Digital Training aims to promote digital inclusion involving the several places in Portugal….

Multiple Sclerosis is known as a chronic disease of the central nervous system, with a wide variety of motor and sensory symptoms that can lead to work disability, socioeconomic burden, and reduced quality of life for patients and caregivers. In Portugal, the estimated prevalence is 6,500 people with this condition. The project aims to discover…

The aim of the BI Award for Innovation in Healthcare is to recognize innovative projects in the healthcare sector that improve the quality of life for the Portuguese people. In 2021, the specific theme was the post-pandemic healthcare recovery in Portugal. During the pandemic, the focus on combating Covid-19 reduced attention to other diseases, creating…

Action HealthData@PT is launched in the context of the implementation of the European Health Data Space, and is an initiative approved by the European Commission under the EU4Health 2021-2027 programme. This initiative contributes to the digital transformation of healthcare in the European Union. The initiative consists of creating a national infrastructure for health data, establishing…