Health spending in Portugal will amount to 24 billion euros in 2024, of which 39% is provided by the state. One of the fundamental problems of the SNS is the deterioration in its efficiency over the last decade. The purchase of goods and services by the SNS alone rose from 5.4 to 7.7 billion euros (44%) between 2016 and 2023, while personnel costs rose 59% to 5.8 billion in 2023. There has been little discussion of the “value for money” obtained in the acquisition of inputs by the NHS. What are the most efficient methods and ways of acquiring them? One of the most important rules to respect is competition in these markets. The evidence shows that cartels alone have caused a very high cost overrun in spending on goods and services. What policies should be adopted?
Coordination:
Abel Mateus