São Miguel health centres send heart tests to remote cardiologists
Azores GuideIn September, ECGs taken at the health centres of Nordeste, Povoação and Vila Franca do Campo saved patients 167 round trips to Ponta Delgada.
A telecardiology pilot called Cardio-ON is being introduced on São Miguel. Heart tests taken at primary care health centres go through an online platform to a team of cardiologists, who read and validate them remotely. Once validated, the results appear in the patient's electronic clinical record.
The pilot follows a test phase at the São Miguel Island Health Unit in August and September 2026. That phase covered 390 tests: 356 electrocardiograms (ECG), 23 24-hour Holter tests and 11 ambulatory blood pressure monitoring tests.
Cardiologists interpreted and validated about 96% of the ECGs in less than 10 minutes. In September, ECGs done at the health centres of Nordeste, Povoação and Vila Franca do Campo avoided 167 round trips to Ponta Delgada, about 14,000 kilometres.
According to notícias que contam, the project is run by the Regional Secretariat of Health and Social Security. Regional Secretary Mónica Seidi said it brings diagnosis closer to people and cuts unnecessary travel. The Regional Government intends to keep the model in primary care and to assess extending it to other island health units.
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