What is the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher?
The Transfer Note/Surgery Voucher is a document that allows the patient to have the scheduled surgery at their home hospital, at another hospital (destination hospital) indicated in that document.
When are these documents issued?
If you are waiting for surgery and your home hospital is unable to perform it within the recommended response time, a Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher is automatically generated, with which the patient can choose the place where they want to perform the surgery.
What is the difference between Transfer Note and Surgery Voucher?
The Transfer Note allows you to choose the hospital where you are going to have your surgery from the list of public hospitals that are sent; the Surgery Voucher indicates hypotheses to choose between public, private and social hospitals.
What is the recommended wait/response time?
The law defines the maximum time that the hospital has to operate on the patient, according to their clinical priority, through the Ordinance No. 153/2017, of May 4, which sets the maximum time to perform surgery. After 75% of the maximum waiting time defined for the surgical act, a Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher is automatically generated.
Is the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher sent on paper?
The document is processed and sent by postal dispatch, via CTT, by registered mail, to the user's address (the one that is registered in the National Registry of Users (RNU).
However, within the scope of the 2023 program contract, the process was simplified with the dematerialization of the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher, which since September 27, 2023 has been sent by email to users who have this contact registered.
What does the dematerialization of the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher consist of?
To simplify the existing process and flow, the need arose to dematerialize the sending of the documentation inherent to the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher to the user.
The new process sends the documents of the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher via email, replacing the paper format, in situations where there is information on the user's email address.
Thus, when the legal waiting time for the issuance of the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher is reached, it is sent to the user's email.
What email is used?
The email address to be used is the one that appears in the contacts of the user's file in the Integrated System for the Management of Surgical Lists (SIGLIC), and which had the National Registry of Users (RNU) as a source of information.
The hospital should, therefore, promote adjusted and routine measures for the validation and/or updating of this contact at the time of the respective registration for surgery.
What documents are sent via email?
The email is accompanied by two attachments:
- Letter: this document contains a brief description of the concept and use of the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher and, in a second part, the letter contains the "Justification of Refusal", in the event that the patient does not want to accept the transfer conditions to be operated on in another hospital
- attached document (directory of the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher): contains the number of the Surgery Voucher, with the hospital institutions that meet the conditions to operate on the patient
I don't have a registered email. How is the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher sent?
If the user has not provided, or does not have, an email registered in the hospital information systems and/or in the National Registry of Users (RNU), the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher will be processed and sent by postal dispatch, via CTT, by registered letter to the user's address (the one registered in the National Registry of Users (RNU).
I received the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher digitally, what can I do?
In case of acceptance/captivation, the user must:
- Choose the hospital where you want to have your operation from the list
- contact directly the hospital of your choice, within the time indicated in the letter you received, to forward the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher, by email. Alternatively, you can go to the hospital in person and hand in the Transfer Note or the Surgery Voucher
When you contact the hospital of your choice, indicate the number of your Transfer Note or your Surgery Voucher (which is in the upper right corner of the document).
Subsequently, the hospital will deliver/send you a document confirming that you have accepted the transfer of your operation. You should wait for your surgery to be scheduled.
Can I refuse the Transfer Note/Surgery Voucher I received?
Yes. If you do not accept the transfer to another institution to perform the surgery, you can forward the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher, by email (mentioned in the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher) to the Regional Access Management Unit (URGA), expressing this decision and indicating:
- Wearer's name
- Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher number
- why you are refusing the transfer, through the document "Justification for Refusal", available in one of the annexes
What is the Regional Access Management Unit?
The Regional Access Management Unit (URGA) is the institution responsible for monitoring the users registered for surgery and the production of the institutions of the National Health Service and, also, the processes of patient transfer within the scope of registration for surgery.
I received the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher by email, but I don't want to change hospitals. What should I do?
In case of refusal, you can forward the email you received with the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher to the contact of the Regional Access Management Unit (mentioned in the Transfer Note / Surgery Voucher), expressing your decision, identifying:
- Try Name
- Transfer Note number / Surgery Voucher
- why you are refusing the transfer, through the document "Justification for Refusal", available in one of the annexes
Alternatively, you can contact the Regional Access Management Unit via telephone (available in the second document of the letter), expressing that you do not accept the digital Surgery Voucher.
How can I update my email?
The update of the user's email can be done together:
- of Local Health Units
- in the Group of Health Centers
- at personal area of the SNS 24 Portal
Source: Shared Services of the Ministry of Health (SPMS)