The adoption of the CUF brand by healthcare units across the Algarve, Alentejo and Madeira marks a new stage in the integration of the HPA Health Group into Portugal’s largest private healthcare network. For Pedro Bastos, Chief Executive Officer of CUF Healthcare Units in the Algarve, Alentejo and Madeira, this represents far more than a change in visual identity. In an interview with The Portugal News, he explains what this means for patients, healthcare professionals and local communities, while sharing his vision for the future of healthcare in a region that continues to attract a growing number of international residents.
1. The integration of the HPA Health Group’s healthcare units into the CUF network is now entering a new phase with the adoption of the CUF brand. What does this milestone represent?
It represents a significant step in a broader integration process that we have been developing in a structured and gradual way. More than a change in visual identity, we are building a more integrated healthcare network, with stronger collaboration between multidisciplinary teams and a nationwide approach to healthcare delivery.
For patients, this means a more seamless healthcare experience and greater continuity of care. For healthcare professionals, it provides access to a wider network of expertise and collaboration. For local communities, it represents the presence of an organisation with a long-term vision and a strong commitment to the development of the regions where it operates.
2. What are the most immediate benefits for patients?
One of the most important developments is the integration of clinical information. Doctors working in our healthcare units across the Algarve, Alentejo and Madeira can now access the clinical records of patients who have been treated in other CUF units, providing a more comprehensive and secure view of each patient’s healthcare journey.
3. The Algarve has become an increasingly popular destination for international residents. What challenges and opportunities does this create for the healthcare sector?
The Algarve is now a highly diverse region, with a significant international population and a growing number of people choosing to make it their permanent home. This reality requires increasingly differentiated healthcare services capable of responding to the needs of patients with very different backgrounds and expectations.
People are looking for clinical excellence, accessibility, trust and the reassurance of knowing they can rely on high-quality healthcare throughout their lives. They also value organisations that can provide continuity of care, regardless of where they are within the country.
4. The shortage of healthcare professionals is a national challenge. How is CUF responding to this reality?
People are the key differentiating factor in healthcare. Our priority is to create the conditions needed to attract, develop and retain highly qualified professionals.
The Algarve faces particular challenges in this respect. The availability of healthcare professionals is more limited than in other parts of the country, making it essential to offer robust, stable projects with genuine opportunities for professional development.
Being part of CUF allows us to provide healthcare professionals with an environment that values clinical excellence, multidisciplinary collaboration, continuous professional development and access to an extensive network of expertise. CUF has once again been recognised by the Randstad Employer Brand Research as the most attractive healthcare employer in Portugal and ranks among the country’s ten most attractive employers overall. This recognition reflects the strength of our employee value proposition.
CUF is also the first organisation in Portugal to be certified as a Family Responsible Company (efr – Family-Responsible Company), recognising our commitment to supporting work-life balance and promoting the wellbeing of our people.
5. Integration into CUF also brings changes for employees across the Algarve, Alentejo and Madeira. What does this process mean for your teams?
Our people are at the heart of this integration. Becoming part of CUF means joining an organisation that consistently invests in professional development, lifelong learning and employee wellbeing.
Over time, employees will gain access to programmes and initiatives already available across CUF, including professional training opportunities, family support programmes, scholarships, educational initiatives for children and young people, financial and health literacy programmes, as well as a wide range of initiatives designed to support personal and professional development.
6. What role does CUF intend to play within local communities?
Our mission goes far beyond providing healthcare. We want to be an active partner in the communities where we operate.
This means working closely with local authorities, social organisations, educational institutions and other regional partners, contributing to local development and promoting better health outcomes for the population.
We believe that a healthcare organisation should be deeply connected to the communities it serves. That close relationship enables us to better understand local needs and develop solutions that have a meaningful impact on people’s lives.
7. What are your expectations for the future development of these healthcare units?
Our current priority is the integration of teams, processes and expertise. This is the work that will have the greatest impact on the quality of care we provide.
A clear example is oncology. Integration into CUF gives patients in these regions access to the expertise of CUF Oncology, which has more than 40 years of experience and is the largest private provider of cancer diagnoses in Portugal, as well as the third largest nationwide across both public and private hospitals, according to the National Cancer Registry.
This integrated network brings together prevention, diagnosis, multidisciplinary clinical decision-making, treatment, clinical research, access to innovative therapies and continuous support throughout every stage of the patient’s cancer journey.
8. What message would you like to leave to those who choose the Algarve as a place to live, invest or spend a significant part of the year?
The Algarve has become an increasingly attractive destination for both Portuguese and international residents, and this evolution requires healthcare services that are increasingly robust, differentiated and centred on people’s needs.
Our message is one of confidence and long-term commitment. We are developing a long-term project built on clinical excellence, investment in our people and close engagement with local communities. We want everyone who lives in, invests in or chooses the Algarve to know that they can rely on a healthcare network that is prepared to meet their needs today and in the future.
Integration into CUF further strengthens that capacity by combining the proximity and expertise of local teams with the strength of a national healthcare network. It is this combination that will enable us to continue evolving, innovating and delivering excellent healthcare to the communities we serve.
About CUF
With more than 80 years of history, CUF is Portugal’s leading private healthcare provider and one of the country’s most recognised and respected healthcare institutions.
Today, CUF operates an integrated network of 66 hospitals, clinics and health centres across Portugal, complemented by home healthcare services and digital channels that bring healthcare closer to people, wherever they may be.
Clinical quality is one of CUF’s defining pillars. Its ongoing commitment to medical excellence, technological innovation, research and professional training has enabled the development of increasingly advanced healthcare solutions while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and clinical care.
CUF’s strength also lies in its people. With more than 20,000 employees, including healthcare professionals and support teams, the organisation works every day to provide personalised care centred on each patient’s needs and on building lasting relationships of trust.
Today, CUF cares for more than 1.6 million clients across Portugal. Its nationwide presence, combined with a long-term vision and a strong connection to the communities it serves, enables it to play a meaningful role in promoting health and improving quality of life.
Recognised as the healthcare brand with the highest levels of awareness and trust in Portugal, CUF continues to invest in the development of an integrated, innovative and people-centred healthcare network, prepared to meet both current and future healthcare challenges while remaining true to its founding commitment: delivering healthcare excellence with rigour, humanity and a focus on people.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed on this page are those of the author and not of The Portugal News.
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