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Serenity Launches Medical Concierge Services to Facilitate a Smooth Transition to Portuguese Healthcare System for Expats

By: Newsfile

Lisbon, Portugal--(Newsfile Corp. - August 9, 2022) - Serenity has launched medical concierge services to facilitate a smooth transition to accessing health care services for expats in Portugal. The number of expats in Portugal has been increasing over the past few years. According to data from the 2021 census, in December 2021, expats accounted for 5.4% of the total population in the country, an increase of 40% when compared to figures for 2011. Portugal was ranked as the 4th best place to retire in 2022 according to the Global Retirement Index. Many of the expats settling in Portugal are retirees, but the country is becoming increasingly popular with entrepreneurs and digital nomads thanks to its sunny climate, low cost of living, high quality of education and healthcare and attractive visa requirements.

One common concern when moving to a new country is access to healthcare, especially for those who are pensioners and might be on medications for chronic diseases, and families with young children. Getting quick access to qualified and experienced healthcare specialists with whom you can communicate, free of language barriers, is a challenge when many aspects of the country you have relocated to are still unfamiliar. The healthcare system in Portugal comprises the public healthcare service called the Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS and a private healthcare system that can be accessed by those having private health insurance. The SNS is funded by the Portuguese Ministry of Health and many of the services and doctor appointments are available either free of cost or at nominal rates for those who are Portuguese residents. It is essential to register as a resident in order to get a number known as the SNS number.

Using private health insurance can potentially facilitate quicker appointments with specialist physicians, shorter wait times and the ability to choose which clinic or hospital to receive treatment in. Navigating this process, especially in the event of an illness can be confusing, and this is where the services of a medical concierge company, like Serenity, can help make a difference.

According to Michael Averbukh, CEO and Managing Partner of Serenity, it would be best for those planning to relocate to Portugal to get in touch with Serenity 2 to 3 months before they move. The residency process and registering with the national healthcare system can take time and it would be better to start the process well in advance. Having healthcare arrangements in place before moving or soon as they arrive is particularly important for those suffering from chronic diseases like diabetes. Those who need regular refills of medications, or need to visit a hospital on a regular basis for procedures like hemodialysis, would need a helping hand. Serenity takes care of the entire processes for their clients in a systematic manner. Each client is assigned a case manager with a clinical background who will act as their point of contact for making arrangements related to their medical needs.

Commenting on Serenity's medical concierge services, Michael Averbukh, founder and CEO of Serenity said, "Normally, the first priority of people moving to Portugal is to get all the legal paperwork in order. They are preoccupied with steps like getting their visa and opening a bank account. Healthcare should be given equal priority as a medical need can occur at any time. Those with prescription medications might only arrive with 2-3 months of supply, they might have pre-existing conditions and need to visit specialists on a regular basis to refill their prescriptions. Processes to access healthcare facilities here are not standardized and they can be quite time-consuming. The company can potentially save our clients a lot of time, money, and energy by guiding them through the entire process in a step-by-step manner. The company deals with both the administrative and the clinical aspects by taking care of the paperwork, reminding them of their medical needs in a proactive manner, directing them to the appropriate specialists, scheduling appointments and following up to ensure that all goes well. The company's focus is always on what works best for our clients."

Media contact:
Name: Michael Averbukh
Email address: geral@serenity-portugal.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133167

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