Revolutionary Change in Lisbon's Maternity Care: Over 50% of Expecting Mothers Diverted to Phone Triage

Over half of the pregnant women attended in emergency rooms in Greater Lisbon were referred by the SNS Grávida line. In three of the largest hospitals participating in the pilot project, 64% of the pregnant women underwent phone screening.

A Significant Reduction in Emergency Visits

On the first day of operation under the new maternity care model, there was a 50% reduction in emergency visits in Lisbon. This figure was shared by the director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hospital de Santa Maria, who stated that the objective is already being achieved.

Diogo Ayres de Campos noted that there were initial “difficulties in connecting to the SNS24 line, which were promptly resolved during the morning.” He acknowledged that “in these initial days, some people are unaware that they need to make this call, and adjustments are necessary.”

Improving Urgent Care Focus

According to Campos, “the general opinion among obstetrics and gynecology directors in the Lisbon metropolitan area is that it has allowed for a reduction of approximately 50% in emergencies. This is crucial as teams can focus more on truly urgent cases rather than situations that can be handled elsewhere.”

From now on, it is essential to call the SNS Grávida line before going to obstetrics and gynecology emergencies. The pilot project is in effect in several hospitals in the Lisbon region and will expand to other units in the coming months.

A Long-Awaited Change

The Minister of Health emphasized that pregnant women's pre-triage for emergency access should have been implemented long ago. Ana Paula Martins stated that this practice will be extended to other specialties in the future.

In an interview with TVI, she outlined the advantages of this change, defending the telephone pre-triage for pregnant women, which has faced criticism from medical unions.

Early Days for Evaluation

Nuno Clode, president of the Portuguese Society of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, remarked that it is still too early to assess the project, which has only been operational for 24 hours. “It is not possible to evaluate without more time to understand what happens. This idea seems well thought out to address the difficulties pregnant women face in accessing the National Health Service's emergencies. Whether it will work or not? Only time will tell,” he noted.

Clode also pointed out that one of the problems on the first day was the need for a good response from the other end of the line to ensure real support for pregnant women. “The pregnant woman has a problem, thinks she should go to the emergency room, calls, and is advised whether to go or wait for a consultation. This is the idea,” he explained.

“This is a way to organize and discipline emergency visits, which in Portugal is often approached very casually. Any issue leads one to the emergency room first, and then they seek clarification. Many times, these situations are less significant and do not justify an emergency visit.