{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,16]],"date-time":"2025-10-16T00:18:54Z","timestamp":1760573934698,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,15]],"date-time":"2025-10-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1760486400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In 2024, the Portuguese NHS introduced \u201cLigue Antes, Salve Vidas\u201d (\u201cCall Before You Go, Save Lives\u201d), making phone triage through the national SNS 24 line compulsory prior to an Emergency Department (ED) visit in most NHS Local Health Units. While the policy was rightfully concerned with improving timely access to urgent care, it was quickly rolled out without a corresponding investment in infrastructure. The phone triage system\u2019s ability to meet growing call demand was assessed using full population administrative data (January 2024\u2013May 2025), applying a Holt\u2013Winters model to project call volumes. These demand forecasts were compared with a fixed benchmark of installed capacity, allowing for the estimation of unmet demand and waiting times. The authors\u2019 projections show that, without structural reinforcement, the SNS 24 line will face persistent overload, with up to 1 million unanswered calls during the 2025\u201326 winter season. Unless structural adaptations are implemented, current gaps threaten clinical safety, equity, and public trust. Robust policy options like AI-supported triage, targeted workforce reinforcement, and enhanced transparency are critical to ensure system resilience.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1694713","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,15]],"date-time":"2025-10-15T05:43:46Z","timestamp":1760507026000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The growing pains of the 2024\/2025 Portugal\u2019s NHS telephone triage system national 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