Brazil's Ministry of Health announced on Monday, December 22, 2025, that Rede D'Or has joined the Agora Tem Especialistas program to cut wait times for consultations and procedures in the SUS public health system. Two private network units in Rio de Janeiro and Niterói will perform about 100 cardiac surgeries annually for public patients, valued at R$ 3.6 million. In exchange, hospitals receive tax credits to offset federal taxes.
The announcement took place during an event in Rio de Janeiro, where Health Minister Alexandre Padilha emphasized the partnership's role in enhancing access to specialized SUS services. Brazil's largest private hospital network, Rede D'Or, begins with its Glória D'Or unit in the state capital and Niterói D'Or in the neighboring city, serving only public health referrals. These facilities will conduct about 100 cardiac surgeries annually, emphasizing myocardial revascularization for arterial blockages that increase heart attack risks. The estimated investment is R$ 3.6 million yearly, with R$ 300,000 monthly allocated to these procedures.
With this addition, the Agora Tem Especialistas program now includes 28 private and philanthropic hospitals. Together, they will provide services equivalent to R$ 150 million in consultations, exams, and surgeries for the SUS by the end of 2025, projected to reach R$ 200 million in 2026. The first treatments by Rede D'Or are set for January 2026, with patients prioritized by Rio and Niterói municipal health secretariats' regulation centers, following SUS technical criteria.
Currently, eight institutions are operational, including Hospital das Clínicas in Alagoinhas (BA), Fundação Lucas Machado in Belo Horizonte (MG), and others in Belém (PA), Niterói (RJ), Sousa (PB), Sobral (CE), and Teresina (PI). Another 20 units await referrals after accreditation. Nearly 160 private hospitals have had interest approvals and are under local review.
On the same day, Padilha signed a letter of intent with the Instituto D'Or de Ensino e Pesquisa for collaboration in neurosciences, oncology, gene editing, and more. He also sealed a technical cooperation agreement with the Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia to assess anesthesiologist needs and improve distribution. "One of the biggest challenges to increase elective surgeries in the country is training well-qualified anesthesiologists and ensuring they are more evenly distributed across Brazil," the minister stated.
