The Regional Secretariat for Energy, Environment and Tourism, through the collaboration between the Regional Directorate for Tourism and the Portuguese Institute of Rheumatology, promotes the renewal of medical services that will complement the leisure and well-being components already available.
 
"For the Regional Government, this has always been a priority component, both for the island of Graciosa and for the Azores as a whole. With the completion of the conservation and maintenance works recently carried out at Carapacho Thermal Spa, we have agreed on the terms of a protocol that will establish the beginning of this collaboration already this summer," assured the Regional Director for Tourism.
 
The specific terms of this partnership provide for health professionals with the double specialties of specialty of Rheumatology and Hydrology at the thermal spa in the period between July 2 and September 17.
 
Moreover, this partnership also provides for daily consultations, from Monday to Saturday in the specialties of Rheumatology and Hydrology, whenever thermal bath therapy is required.
 
Filipe Macedo stressed that this initiative falls within the "support and promotion of one of the tourism products identified in the Strategic and Marketing Plan of the Azores Tourism as a complementary product to nature tourism and a prime tourism product to Graciosa Island.
 
"We have expectations to enhance the tourist value of Graciosa Island in the thermal and well-being components. Therefore, we will provide a decisive contribution to the attractiveness of the destination, through the enhancement of the tourism offer. The primary goal is to increase the number of tourists visiting and enjoying the island of Graciosa," stressed the Regional Director.
 
Under this partnership, Filipe Macedo added that regional hospitals and health centres with waiting lists in the specialty of Rheumatology will have the possibility "to refer patients to the consultations provided at Carapacho Thermal Spa at their voluntary request and under the legislation in force."
 
The referral and movement of patients who use this service, under the Charter of Patient Rights, will be provided by the Regional Health Services through the Rules on Patient Travel.