Connected health

Digital hospital: Connecting care across nine islands

Discover how the Azores Regional Health Service is using digital solutions to improve access to specialists, streamline clinical information, and bring healthcare closer to patients.

Stephanie Scharff

Published on August 21, 2026

For the 240,000 people living across the nine islands of the Azores, an archipelago of Portugal, access to healthcare has always been shaped by geography. Patients often face long journeys between islands to reach specialists.

Healthcare professionals work across a fragmented network of hospitals, local health units, and care centers. As Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security Mónica Seidi puts it: “The Azores are made up of nine islands, and I would almost dare to say nine challenges.”

: Population: 240,000 inhabitants
Coverage: 9 islands across the Atlantic Ocean
Healthcare network: 3 hospitals, 26 health units, 1 oncology center

To address these barriers, the Azores Regional Health Service launched its Digital Hospital project, a region-wide transformation designed to connect healthcare providers, patients, and clinical information across the archipelago. Working with Siemens Healthineers, the initiative is creating an integrated digital ecosystem built around a unified electronic health record, patient and physician portals, teleconsultations, and standardized clinical data.

Improving access to specialized care through digital healthcare

The goal is clear: ensure that high-quality care is available regardless of where patients live. Instead of traveling by plane for routine specialist appointments, patients can increasingly access care virtually, review medical records online, manage prescriptions, and schedule appointments through a single digital platform.

Connecting clinical data for better patient care

For healthcare professionals, centralized information means more informed decisions and fewer administrative barriers. As physician Lénio Couto explains: “Centralizing data allows us to spend more time with patients, to talk with them. It’s not a separation, but rather a way to get closer.”

Two people in front of a large screen, one pointing at a presentation slide with technical text and a diagram.

Two people in front of a map with Azores islands, one person pointing at the map with an outstretched arm.

Person tapping on a tablet screen wearing a light jacket and blue shirt

A man looks at a monitor displaying a woman in medical attire showing data on a tablet in front of a computer screen.

Two people in front of a large screen, one pointing at a presentation slide with technical text and a diagram.

The impact is already becoming visible. Patients can access consultations, exam results, and vaccination records online, while teleconsultations are reducing travel and improving access to specialist expertise. Digitalization is strengthening coordination across the islands, reducing redundancies, and supporting safer, more efficient care.

Shaping the future of connected healthcare in the Azores

Looking ahead, the Digital Hospital is creating a new model for regional healthcare. As Mónica Seidi notes, “We have the responsibility to keep offering the best possible care, adapting to the needs of our patients.” By transforming healthcare access through connectivity and innovation, the Azores is building a more equitable, patient-centered future for every island community.

: Region served: Azores Regional Health Service (Portugal)
Digital solutions: Electronic Health Record, Patient Portal, Physician Portal, teleconsultations
Patient benefit: Improved access to specialists, reduced travel, greater control over health information
Provider benefit: Unified clinical data, improved coordination, reduced redundancies, enhanced patient engagement

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See how digital innovation is transforming healthcare across the Azores.

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By Stephanie Scharff

Stephanie Scharff is an editor and writer at Siemens Healthineers.

eHealth Solutions consist of several products. eHealth Virtual Visit and eHealth Stroke are manufactured by Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany. All other products of eHealth Solutions are manufactured by ITH icoserve technology for healthcare GmbH – A Siemens Healthineers Company, Innsbruck, Austria. Products of eHealth Solutions are not intended for diagnostic purposes. The product offerings are not commercially available in all countries. Please contact your local Siemens Healthineers organization for further information.

The statements by customers of Siemens Healthineers described herein are based on results that were achieved in the customer’s unique setting. Because there is no “typical” hospital or laboratory and many variables exist (e.g., hospital size, samples mix, case mix, level of IT and/or automation adoption) there can be no guarantee that other customers will achieve the same results.