The viewpoint of health professionals on the role of basic units in the healthcare network of the Brazilian Unified Health System

In the process of creation of the Unified Health System (SUS) as a universal policy seeking to ensure comprehensive care, unscheduled assistance in primary healthcare units (UBS) is an unresolved challenge. The scope of this paper is to analyze the viewpoint of health professionals on the role of pr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ciência & saude coletiva 2012-11, Vol.17 (11), p.2941-2952
Main Authors: Puccini, Paulo de Tarso, Cornetta, Vitória Keddy, Sahyom, Tânia Zogbi, Fuentes, Isabel Cristina Pagliarini, Botta, Luiza Maria Gimenez, Puccini, Rosana Fiorini
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Subjects:
Attitude of Health Personnel
Brazil
Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration
Humans
Primary Health Care - organization & administration
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In the process of creation of the Unified Health System (SUS) as a universal policy seeking to ensure comprehensive care, unscheduled assistance in primary healthcare units (UBS) is an unresolved challenge. The scope of this paper is to analyze the viewpoint of health professionals on the role of primary healthcare units in meeting this demand. It is a transversal study of qualitative data obtained through questionnaires and interviews with 106 medical practitioners from 6 emergency medical services and 190 professionals from 30 units. They explained why people seek emergency care for occurrences pertaining to primary care. The content analysis technique with thematic categories was used for data analysis. Lack of resources and problems with primary health unit work processes (50.8%) were the reasons most frequently cited by emergency care physicians to explain this inadequate demand. Only 33.3% of the health unit professionals agreed that these occurrences should be attended in the primary healthcare services. The limited viewpoint of the role of health services on the unscheduled care, particularly among primary care professionals, possibly leads to restrictive practices for access by the population.
ISSN:1678-4561