the problem
In Lisbon, many people find themselves in a strange position. They are inside the healthcare system, but nothing is really happening.
They have seen their Doctor, have been referred, and have done everything they were supposed to do. Their name is now on a list somewhere in the system. From that moment on, time becomes unclear.
They go home with symptoms and questions, but without a sense of when anything will change. Days turn into weeks. Sometimes weeks into months. They try to stay patient, but uncertainty starts to shape daily life. Plans are postponed. Work becomes harder. Worry becomes background noise.
Not because the system is broken, but because it is overloaded and slow by design.
On paper, care is organised. In real life, people feel suspended between being ill and being treated. They are not urgent enough to be a priority, but not well enough to live normally.
The system keeps moving. Their life feels paused.
how it works
The 72-Hour Health Bridge starts from a simple shift in perspective. No one should enter a long waiting list without being actively supported.
Every person placed on a hospital waiting list in Lisbon enters a parallel support layer. Within 72 hours, their case is picked up by a small coordination team.
Not to judge it. Not to promise faster treatment. But to look at what is realistically possible around the public system.
Sometimes there is unused capacity in private clinics. Sometimes specialists have availability that is not connected to the public flow. Sometimes interim care, second opinions, diagnostics, or remote consultations can reduce uncertainty and deterioration.
The bridge does not replace the hospital system. It adds a human layer around it.
The person is no longer just waiting. They are being guided through options, possibilities, and next steps. Waiting turns into a process instead of a void.
the setup
The 72-Hour Health Bridge operates between systems, not inside one.
It works with existing healthcare infrastructure, both public and private, and connects resources that are currently fragmented and poorly coordinated.
A small coordination unit reviews cases, maps available capacity across the city, and acts as a navigator for people who would otherwise be stuck in silence.
It does not aim to optimise efficiency. It aims to protect people from disappearing into administrative time.
The bridge exists because medical capacity and human suffering do not align on the same timeline.
Benefits for patients
For patients, the biggest change is psychological. Instead of feeling forgotten, they feel accompanied. Instead of being alone with symptoms and uncertainty, they have someone who is actively tracking their situation.
Even if the final treatment still takes time, their life is no longer on hold. Their case is alive. Their situation is being taken seriously.
The bridge restores a sense of agency in a moment where people usually feel powerless.
for healthcare professionals and providers
For professionals, the bridge creates visibility where there is currently fragmentation.
It connects specialists, clinics, and care providers who have unused capacity with patients who need care but cannot access it through standard channels.
This improves flow without increasing pressure on already overloaded hospitals. Care becomes something that circulates across the system instead of getting stuck inside institutional silos.
For the city and public health systems
For Lisbon, the bridge functions as a social safety layer.
It reduces silent suffering without waiting for structural reform. It protects human time inside a system that moves according to procedures, budgets, and planning cycles.
The 72-Hour Health Bridge does not solve healthcare. It prevents damage while healthcare is trying to keep up.
It recognizes that waiting is not neutral. It shapes lives.
Turn ideas into action – your solution starts here
The 72-Hour Health Bridge is a disruptive social concept within the Quality of Life framework. It is not a service, not a policy, and not currently implemented. It exists as a design proposal for Lisbon’s health authorities, hospital networks, and civic innovation teams.
Not to fix the system. But to make sure people do not get lost inside it. Because healthcare is not only about treatment. It is about what happens to a person while they wait.
How we can collaborate:
1. Define the challenge – Identify what’s missing and the impact you want to create.
2. Explore existing solutions – Use this concept as a foundation and customize it to fit your needs.
3. Co-create a custom solution – If this isn’t the right fit, we’ll develop a fresh solution together.
4. Make it real – From strategy to execution, we help turn ideas into action.
This is a proprietary concept developed by Hans van de Rakt / the Business Hippie Club. Our solutions are designed to be adapted and implemented in real-world scenarios, ensuring meaningful impact.
Business Hippie Club 