By Brazil Stock Guide – Brazil’s Ministry of Health announced on Monday (22) that Rede D’Or, the country’s largest private hospital network, has joined Agora Tem Especialistas, a federal program designed to expand access to specialized medical care within Brazil’s public health system, according to Agência Brasil.
Under the agreement, two private hospitals operated by Rede D’Or — Glória D’Or, in Rio de Janeiro, and Niterói D’Or, in the metropolitan area of the state — will provide cardiology surgeries to patients of Brazil’s universal public healthcare system, known as SUS. The hospitals are expected to perform around 100 cardiology procedures per year, representing an estimated R$ 3.6 million in services.
The initiative reflects a broader government strategy to reduce chronic waiting lists for complex procedures by temporarily using spare capacity in private and philanthropic hospitals. With Rede D’Or’s entry, the total number of participating hospitals rises to 28, marking one of the largest coordinated efforts to integrate private infrastructure into public healthcare delivery in Brazil.
According to the Ministry of Health, spending on additional services provided to the public system exceeded R$ 150 million in 2025. Authorities expect annual investments to increase to R$ 200 million starting in early 2026, as contracts expand across priority medical specialties.
Instead of direct cash payments, participating hospitals receive financial credits that can be used to offset federal tax obligations. In Rede D’Or’s case, approximately R$ 300,000 per month will be allocated to myocardial revascularization surgeries, a highly complex cardiac procedure used to prevent heart attacks and reduce mortality among high-risk patients.
“This mechanism allows us to accelerate access to surgeries that are both complex and life-saving,” Health Minister Alexandre Padilha said. “By contracting private hospitals, we ensure specialized teams, modern equipment and adequate supplies without forcing patients to wait months in the public system.”
The first surgeries under the program at Rede D’Or facilities are scheduled to begin in January 2026. Patient referrals will be managed by local public health authorities in Rio de Janeiro and Niterói, following criteria established by regional regulatory centers that coordinate access to specialized care.
The Ministry of Health says the program prioritizes seven specialties with the longest waiting times: oncology, cardiology, orthopedics, gynecology, otorhinolaryngology, ophthalmology and nephrology. Contracts are structured as targeted agreements rather than permanent outsourcing, preserving the public nature of Brazil’s healthcare system.
Beyond service delivery, the government also signed a letter of intent with Rede D’Or’s research and education arm to cooperate in areas such as neurosciences, oncology, advanced therapies and clinical research. Separately, the ministry reached an agreement with Brazil’s national anesthesiology association to address workforce shortages, a key bottleneck for expanding elective surgeries.
“One of Brazil’s main structural challenges is the uneven distribution of qualified anesthesiologists,” Padilha said. “This agreement aims to train 300 new specialists and map service gaps across the country, directly supporting the expansion of surgical capacity.”
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