The challenge to Portugal’s health service is not an ageingpopulation, but how best to organize healthcare delivery

Many European countries now face the demographic challenge of an ageing population that many predict will strain public services, including healthcare, to a near breaking point. Pedro Pita Barros argues that Portugal is unlikely to witness an explosion in healthcare expenditure, despite its ageing population. In fact, the main challenges are not in the costs of healthcare to the elderly, they are in the organization of Portugal’s health service.