New Private Clinic in Porto – UNICLÍNICA. Reflections on Humanisation and Quality in Medical Care

From October 2024, I will transition my private practice from Rua Júlio Dinis, no 561, Porto (EME Saúde) to UNICLÍNICA, located at R. Pinho Leal 55, 4150-089 Porto, Portugal. This change stems from a desire to offer a more welcoming and dedicated space for my patients, particularly in Paediatric Ophthalmology, where I have developed my subspecialty emphasising treating conditions such as strabismus. At UNICLÍNICA, I will have the opportunity to create an environment that caters to children’s needs and adults, always providing more personalised and attentive care.

Today, we live in a time of rapid technological advancement in medicine. These innovations have brought undeniable benefits, such as faster and more accurate diagnoses and more effective treatments. However, with the increasing massification of healthcare services and an excessive focus on targets and metrics, time has become a scarce commodity in medical practice. Consultations are often rushed, and the human connection between doctor and patient is frequently lost amidst technology and bureaucracy.

This is one of the main reasons I choose to maintain and expand my practice in what we call “The Private Office”, in this case at UNICLÍNICA in Porto and at the CRISTAL CENTER Clinic in Amarante. In this new space, I intend to restore the true essence of medical practice: listening to the patient, understanding their concerns and needs, and giving each person the required time. A medical consultation should not be treated as a mechanical or impersonal act; it is a human encounter. As Prof. João Lobo Antunes aptly put it, “Medicine, driven by science, seduced by technology, and overwhelmed by bureaucracy, may lose its human face and ignore the unique individuality of each suffering person”. It is precisely this human face that I am committed to preserving.

In clinical practice, empathy is the key to truly humanised medicine. More than technical competence, the ability to understand others and put oneself in their place defines us as doctors. We can offer more effective and humane care by listening attentively and respectfully to each patient’s concerns. However, listening alone is not enough: acting with rigour and honesty is necessary, offering precise diagnoses and treatment options based on the best available scientific evidence. At UNICLÍNICA, as in any other setting, I will strive to maintain the same standard of quality and common sense that I uphold as the guiding principle of my practice, focusing on personalised care.

Each patient is unique, with a life story, a health condition, and needs that must be addressed individually. Medicine cannot be treated as a science of numbers or general targets; it must focus on each person’s singularity. Personalised care goes beyond diagnosis and treatment; it involves understanding what each person truly needs and how we can best help them. In the case of children, this personalisation is even more crucial, as young patients require specific care and an environment that fosters trust and comfort.

I am determined to offer a space where the doctor-patient relationship is deeply valued. A place where the necessary time is dedicated to each appointment, allowing for a truly patient-centred approach to health and well-being. Whether it’s a routine check-up or screening, regular follow-up for paediatric ophthalmology, or strabismus surgery… I humbly continue my path as an ophthalmologist, always aiming to be the best paediatric ophthalmologist I can be, contributing to the visual health of children and adults in Porto, Amarante, and across Portugal.

This new practice represents a return to the foundations of medicine, where the focus is on the person and not on numbers, where care is delivered with empathy and rigour, and where quality prevails over quantity. I believe that by providing more human and individualised care, I will offer a service that makes a difference in people’s lives.

I invite all my patients, adults and children alike, to visit this new space and to continue trusting in my work. I remain convinced that humanisation in medicine, combined with clinical excellence, is the way forward for the future of healthcare. UNICLÍNICA and Cristal Center Clinic will be where I intend to continue cultivating this philosophy, where the doctor-patient relationship will always be the priority.

You can make your appointment by phone at +351 226 162 224 (local telecom call); or by e-mail geral@uniclinica.pt
UNICLÍNICA, R. Pinho Leal 55, 4150-089 Porto, Portugal

With my best regards,

Prof. Dr. Paulo Freitas da Costa
Ophthalmology & Strabismus and Paediatric Ophthalmology