José, 86, made a point of saying he wasn't familiar with the new clinic and was invited to visit. Elvira, 72, confessed that all her friends already have their attending physician at Hospital da Luz. And Ana, who announced that she had retired "today," took the opportunity to find out how she could schedule her cardiology and gastroenterology appointments. On the day of the health screening conducted by the Hospital da Luz team of health professionals across from the train station in downtown Vila Franca de Xira, the city's residents learned more about the new Hospital da Luz clinic and discovered the importance of regularly assessing basic health parameters. In total, between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., teams of nurses and health technicians at Hospital da Luz conducted 170 screenings, with demand peaking, especially in the late afternoon, and with older people wanting to participate more in the morning. Cases of high blood pressure, blood sugar levels showing warning signs, mild silent arrhythmias, or excess weight were handled by nurses Rodrigo Vieira and João Miranda and health technicians Nelson Coimbra and Beatriz Pernes. "And that was precisely our goal: to identify potential risk factors and help people improve their health, with practical advice and, if necessary, recommendations for scheduling appointments with their attending physician" explained Pedro Jerónimo Sousa , clinical director and cardiologist at Hospital da Luz Clínica Vila Franca de Xira. The new Hospital da Luz in Vila Franca de Xira is already operating at full speed, as a comprehensive, accessible, and local healthcare center, "a true new-generation healthcare center" capable of meeting all the needs of the municipality's population, including health prevention and disease monitoring. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, prepared for specialized exams and consultations in essential medical specialties, the Hospital da Luz Clínica Vila Franca de Xira has agreements with all insurance companies and subsystems, such as ADSE, and a partnership with the National Health Service to perform clinical tests at no cost to patients. It is open seven days a week and on Saturdays and can respond immediately to appointments with a family doctor. "There are many of us, and we are here to help you. And this is the first screening we are conducting. It's just the first! “Because we will do much more," assured one of the Hospital da Luz professionals to one of the elderly people who came to the screening site. It was a response that many in attendance welcomed. “You can count on us!”
