consulta externa
Published 4 November 2026, 03:07
consulta externa (outpatient specialist appointment at a hospital)
An appointment with a specialist at a state hospital, not in A&E and not as an inpatient. You need a referral, usually from your family doctor, but a doctor at a private clinic can also write one, in which case you take the paper to the hospital yourself.
Where you come across it. A cardiologist, endocrinologist, surgeon or other specialist through the state system.
The waiting time depends on the urgency level set by the referring doctor and on triage at the hospital itself, not on how often you phone.
Official website: sns24.gov.pt/servico/marcacao-de-consultas