NEWS | Mónica Seidi opens Intermediate Cardiac Care Unit at HSEIT
The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, opened today the Intermediate Cardiac Care Unit (UCIC) at the Santo Espírito Hospital of Terceira Island (HSEIT). This new facility represents a significant advance in the continuous improvement of cardiovascular healthcare provided to the population of Terceira Island and the other islands in the central group.
During the ceremony, tribute was paid to José Gabriel Coelho Gil, a cardiologist from Terceira who died in 2024. He was responsible for creating the first Coronary Care Unit in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, which opened in 1988 and closed in 2012 when the hospital was relocated to its current premises.
On that occasion, Mónica Seidi stressed that “this is clearly a measure that benefits the people of Terceira and closes a gap that has lasted too long.” In this regard, she recalled that the closure of the coronary unit in 2012 was assumed to be temporary, but this transitional situation has never been reversed, thus hindering the cardiology service for more than a decade.
“With this unit, we estimate that we will avoid between 15 and 20 evacuations per year to Mainland Portugal, with clear benefits for patients and also for the sustainability of the Regional Health Service,’ stated Mónica Seidi. She added that, based on scientific evidence and clinical experience, an average reduction of three days of hospitalisation per patient is expected, contributing to improved care response, reduced mortality and increased quality of healthcare provided on Terceira Island.
It is estimated that the Intermediate Cardiac Care Unit will be able to monitor between 300 and 400 patients annually, including cases of acute coronary syndromes, decompensated heart failure and other critical cardiovascular conditions requiring admission to intensive or intermediate care.
The UCIC is also the first step in a more ambitious project, which plans to create a multidisciplinary room for procedures requiring angiography.
“In cardiology, it is not possible to move forward with a haemodynamics unit without first having a coronary care unit. We are complying with good clinical practices and laying solid foundations for the future,” highlighted the Regional Secretary.
In its initial phase, the unit will start operating with seven beds, which has led to the launch of a recruitment process for nurses, currently in its final stages.
The Regional Secretary also recalled that 2025 was a landmark year for HSEIT, with 133 healthcare professionals undergoing training, 22 more than in the previous year and 60 more than in 2022. For the first time, specific training positions were also filled at the Paediatrics and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation hospital. This development may also contribute to the partial training accreditation of the Multipurpose Intensive Care Unit.
Mónica Seidi also highlighted the significant investment in HSEIT, noting that “investment in hospital equipment will exceed three million Euros in 2026. Never before has so much been invested in HSEIT as under the coalition governments. This is the right path to take to retain and attract healthcare professionals, and improve healthcare for the population.”
“In healthcare, everything has a cost, and the Regional Health Service has never produced as much as it does now. Health users will always be at the centre of our decisions,” she said. In this regard, the government official pointed out that, in the last two years, there has been a significant diversification of services available at HSEIT, such as the modernisation of the MRI system, the introduction of cardiac angiography, and the creation of the Pain Management Unit, among other projects that will be implemented throughout 2026, using new equipment financed under the RRP.
GRA/RÁDIOILHÉU
