Portugal's National Health Service (SNS) experienced a disruption this week when a power outage at a data center took several computer systems offline.

The incident, on the morning of October 19, disrupted operations at health centers and hospitals, where staff were unable to access patient records or issue electronic prescriptions as usual.

The problems began around 10am local time and were nationwide in scope, according to reports gathered by Portuguese media. The National Federation of Physicians (FNAM) reported incidents at various local health facilities, including those in São João, Matosinhos, and Médio Ave.

SPMS, the entity responsible for the Ministry of Health’s shared technology systems, attributed the incident to a power outage at its data center in the north. As explained in a statement, there were two successive outages: the first was quickly resolved, but the second caused the information systems to become unavailable.

Among the affected services were the National User Registry and the Electronic Medical Prescription (PEM) system, as well as access to the Electronic Health Record. The outage prevented healthcare professionals from accessing clinical data and issuing prescriptions as usual, while some patients experienced delays or were unable to receive their scheduled care.

The SPMS reported that by 3pm, technical teams had restored virtually all services and systems, including the National User Registry and electronic prescribing. The resolution of the incident was subsequently confirmed later that same afternoon.

The agency also announced that it expects to have a new infrastructure in place by the end of 2026, financed with funds from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). According to the SPMS, this will enable real-time redundancy for the main systems of the National Health System (SNS) and strengthen the security and performance of digital platforms. In addition, it plans to overhaul the power architecture of the existing data center.

In a statement published today (October 23), FNAM demanded greater clarity over the incident, saying it considers it "essential" that the Ministry of Health "clarifies the causes and extent of the failure and what mechanisms are planned to correct the observed limitations."

The group said: "The fact that the systems are being partially restored does not eliminate the harm caused to users, nor the lost clinical work time and the additional burden of updating records and clinical processes. Constraints are still being reported in some Local Health Units, particularly in issuing prescriptions or accessing clinical information."

"The National Health Service (SNS) cannot continue to fail those who need it and those who work within it. FNAM demands structural solutions, investment, and accountability. Users deserve timely and safe healthcare. Doctors deserve the conditions to practice their profession."

This piece was translated from DCD's Spanish site and edited by a member of DCD staff.