On September 27, 2024, Nova SBE’s Health Economics & Management Knowledge Center and Economics For Policy Knowledge Center, in partnership with the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS), hosted a Results Dissemination Event for the project "New Management Accounting Plan for the National Health Service (SNS)" at the Carcavelos campus.

The Nova SBE Health Economics & Management Knowledge Center (NHEM) and the Economics For Policy Knowledge Center (EFP-KC), in partnership with the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS), held a Results Dissemination Event on September 27 at the Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE) Campus in Carcavelos, which was part of the project “REFORM/SC2022/170, Enhancing Cooperation & Quality of Public Administration: Support for Strengthening Health Cost Accounting in Portugal.”

This project, led by the ACSS and launched in June 2023, is being developed under the European Commission’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI) funding through the AARC-Consortium and is coordinated scientifically by Nova SBE, led by Professors Pedro Pita Barros (NHEM) and Pedro Brinca (EFP-KC). The technical team consists of Marta Almeida, Carolina Santos, and Mariana Videira, while the project team includes Marta Nogueira, Nádia Ahmad, and Tomás Falua Duarte. The project also receives support from partners Technopolis Group Portugal and SEO Amsterdam Economics.

Once the Nova SBE team concludes the project, the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS) will lead the implementation of the new Management Accounting Plan in the National Health Service (SNS), which will begin nationwide in early 2025.

During the event, the Secretary of State for Health Management, Cristina Vaz Tomé, who presided over the opening session, emphasized that the new accounting system represents a "new way of working."

In her speech, the Secretary of State highlighted the current state of the SNS, marked by a multiplicity of financial information systems, which hinders the comparability of indicators between various entities. The new system, common to all SNS institutions, will enable the collection of comparable data, ensuring greater reliability and transparency of information.

Cristina Vaz Tomé emphasized the work that is underway, highlighting its importance for better SNS management. Her reflection was echoed by the representative of the European Commission – DG Reform, Nathalie Berger, who reinforced the European Commission’s commitment to providing technical support to improvement projects promoted by countries. “Together, we will contribute to the sustainability of health systems,” she emphasized.

During the closing session, Secretary of State for Planning and Regional Development, Hélder Reis, highlighted the importance of the new SNS Management Accounting Plan as a challenge in terms of best management practices, which will bring transformation and quality to public health management. According to the minister, the management of public accounts faces challenges that require the adoption of management solutions that can deliver results in cost and revenue control.

Recalling that the implementation of this new system is foreseen in the PRR (Recovery and Resilience Plan), Hélder Reis assured that the government is working hard to implement the planned measures, using available financial incentives.

In his speech, the President of the Board of Directors of ACSS also reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to implementing the new management accounting system, emphasizing that for ACSS, this assumes “strategic importance” – “More than just a financial registration mechanism, we intend to provide a comprehensive and integrated perspective that facilitates informed decision-making, promotes efficiency in resource allocation, and ensures the transparency needed to strengthen society’s trust in the SNS.” André Trindade also noted that “the coming times will be challenging and will require a lot of hard work,” which will need the dedication and commitment of all involved.

During the session, Pedro Pita Barros from Nova SBE also emphasized the relevance of the new accounting system and urged all the responsible entities to implement it for the sake of public accounts and sound management.

During the event, the results from ULS Almada Seixal, ULS Alto Alentejo, ULS Matosinhos, and ULS Santo António – units that participated in the pilot project – were presented, which took place under the international AARC-Consortium, with scientific coordination by Nova SBE, operational support by ACSS, and technical assistance from the European Commission – DG Reform.

Summary:

• On September 27, Nova SBE, through its Knowledge Centers in Health Economics & Management (NHEM) and Economics For Policy (EFP-KC), in partnership with the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS), promoted a Results Dissemination Event, which took place at the Nova SBE Campus in Carcavelos.

• This event is part of the project "REFORM/SC2022/170, Enhancing Cooperation & Quality of Public Administration: Support for Strengthening Health Cost Accounting in Portugal," financed by the European Commission (DG REFORM).

• This will represent a "new way of working" that will change the management of the SNS. Cristina Vaz Tomé, Secretary of State for Health Management, presided over the opening session of the presentation of the new system, which took place at the Nova SBE Campus in Carcavelos.

• In the closing session, Secretary of State for Planning and Regional Development, Hélder Reis, highlighted the importance of the new SNS Management Accounting Plan, which is a challenge in terms of best management practices and will bring transformation and quality to public health management.

• The representative of the European Commission - DG Reform, Nathalie Berger, emphasized the European Commission's commitment to providing technical support for improvement projects promoted by countries. "Together we will contribute to the sustainability of health systems."

• President André Trindade emphasized ACSS's commitment to implementing the new management accounting system, highlighting the "strategic importance" of the new system, which will allow for a "comprehensive and integrated perspective that facilitates informed decision-making, promotes resource allocation efficiency, and ensures the necessary transparency to reinforce society's trust in the SNS."

• During the event, Pedro Pita Barros, representing Nova SBE, emphasized the importance of this new accounting system for the transformation of public health management, stressing the need for all responsible entities involved to implement it, for the sake of sound public account management and transparency in the National Health Service (SNS).

• During the initiative, which took place on Friday (the 27th), the experiences and results of ULS Almada Seixal, ULS Alto Alentejo, ULS Matosinhos, and ULS Santo António, the units that participated in the pilot project, were presented.

• After the project is concluded by Nova SBE, ACSS will be responsible for implementing the new SNS Management Accounting Plan, starting in 2025.

• This project, led by ACSS, began in June 2023 and is being developed with technical support from the international AARC-Consortium, with scientific coordination by Nova SBE, under the leadership of Professor Pedro Pita Barros (NHEM) and Professor Pedro Brinca (EFP-KC). The Nova SBE technical team includes Marta Almeida, Carolina Santos, and Mariana Videira, while the project team consists of Marta Nogueira, Nádia Ahmad, and Tomás Falua Duarte. The implementation is further supported by partners Technopolis Group Portugal and SEO Amsterdam Economics.