Francisco Madeira, a research fellow at the NOVA National School of Public Health (NOVA NSPH), took part as a speaker in the panel “Health policies: let’s do the maths”, integrated in the event “Debating to move forward”, organised by Observador under the Arterial project, dedicated to cerebrocardiovascular diseases.
The debate, which took place at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento in Lisbon, focused on the economic impact of these conditions and on the public policy options required to improve the efficiency of the health system. It brought together decision-makers, researchers and institutional representatives.
During his intervention, Francisco Madeira presented data from a longitudinal study that analysed, over a 21-year period, the costs associated with the treatment of acute coronary syndromes, including acute myocardial infarction. According to the findings, the cumulative cost of these episodes reached approximately €1.8 billion, equivalent to around 1% of the annual budget of the National Health Service, highlighting the significant burden these diseases place on the sustainability of the system.
The researcher explained that the largest share of costs is associated with hospitalisations, surgical procedures and medical devices, and also underlined the evolution of the average cost per patient over time. After a period of increase until 2011, reflecting more interventional approaches, average costs declined, in line with the adoption of more conservative clinical practices. The exception was 2020, marked by the pandemic, when the worsening clinical condition of patients upon hospital admission once again led to higher costs.
For Francisco Madeira, these findings reinforce the importance of prevention as a central strategy, not only to improve patients’ quality of life but also to enhance the cost-effectiveness of health responses. The research fellow also stressed the need to measure, monitor and systematically integrate data, an essential condition for supporting informed decision-making and more effective public policies in tackling cerebrocardiovascular diseases.
NOVA NSPH’s participation in this debate reflects its commitment to producing and disseminating scientific evidence that is relevant to the development of health policies, contributing to a more integrated, efficient and sustainable approach to the major challenges facing the National Health Service.
To read the full news article in Observador, click here.
Image: © Observador
