The establishment of a commission to analyze and oversee the future operations of Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo (HDES) has been recommended, assured Mónica Seidi, Regional Secretary for Health. This commission should include members from the Order of Physicians, the Order of Nurses, the Order of Engineers, as well as representatives from health, finance, and public works sectors of the government, the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS), and the hospital itself to ensure a comprehensive functional program is achieved.
On May 4, 2024, the largest hospital in the Azores was severely impacted by a fire, necessitating the transfer of all patients to alternative healthcare facilities.
Gradual reopening of hospital services ensued, with the setup of a modular hospital adjacent to the main building, which is slated for restoration and modernization efforts.
In late January, HDES management announced it had submitted the final versions of two functional programs to the Azorean government. These documents, crafted by Aripa – Ilídio Pelicano Arquitetos and Antares Consulting, aim to guide the repair, reorganization, and resizing of the hospital.
Plans to initiate the public works contract in the first half of 2025 were disclosed by the hospital administration.
When queried on this timeline, Seidi emphasized prioritizing a thorough project phase within the first half of the year over rushing the process. “While urgency prevails, undue haste must be avoided considering the crucial decisions ahead,” she remarked.
The Azorean government anticipates forming the review and oversight commission by May, granting up to 60 days to finalize a consolidated functional program from the existing submissions, with input from HDES’s department heads.
Seidi stressed the importance of public consultation or at least public disclosure of the functional program to ensure transparency and well-justified choices. However, she withheld estimations on recovery timelines or costs, citing the absence of a finalized functional program as a barrier to projection.
Plans outline a focus on outpatient services, infrastructure modernization, and possibilities for phased and sequential construction work. The modular hospital will provide essential support, facilitating the rotation of actively serviced departments, explained Seidi.
The proposed plans also include outsourcing certain technical services to entities responsible for spatial design.
In January, an expansion covering approximately 50,510 square meters was suggested, although Seidi indicated the final growth area remains unconfirmed.
Prior to the fire, HDES operated six operating rooms, a count deemed insufficient at the time, according to Seidi. “Future growth is anticipated but will be assessed over the next 30 to 40 years,” she stated, emphasizing the need to align the number of operating rooms with available human resources.
While the exact completion date for HDES’s restoration is uncertain, Seidi assured that all functionalities available as of May 3, 2024, have since been restored, with certain areas even improved. “No procedure ceased due to the fire; conversely, enhanced surgical techniques have been enabled thanks to newly acquired equipment. For the first time, two operating rooms fully comply with ACSS recommendations,” she noted.
Currently, the modular hospital operates two operating rooms, while the original HDES building houses three, with plans to add a fourth this month.
Since reopening its operating block in September, the facility has seen a 20% increase in waitlist entries. The situation showed signs of improvement in February, with stabilization anticipated by May, Seidi estimates.
Seidi expressed confidence that optimization of operating rooms will eventually allow for substantial reduction efforts. However, she acknowledged that the current focus remains on stabilization, with professionals diligently working towards this goal. “Data from February already suggest that health professionals will increasingly redouble efforts to contain and stabilize waiting lists before reducing them in a subsequent phase,” she asserted.
To manage surgical waiting lists, HDES has turned to additional production and the CIRURGE program, with potential for increased funding allocations if necessary.
Outpatient consultations have steadily recovered, with figures for the first quarter of 2025 surpassing those from the same period in the previous year, Seidi assured.
