Matrix Support as an articulator of interbranch relations between specialized services and primary health care

Abstract

This paper sought to carry out an integrative review of the national production on Matrix Support methodology, whilst encompassing empirical studies on effectiveness and theoretical-methodological review papers on Matrix Support. The used material is comprised of papers that are indexed in the PubMed database, the NLM and the BVS (Virtual Library of Health), between 1999 and 2013, in Portuguese, English and Spanish. We included 28 articles, and its analysis allowed the identification of three categories: 1) foundation goods and consolidation of the concept of matrix support; 2) Review articles on the matrix support; 3) Items arising from empirical research involving the concept of matrix support. The publications showed that the matrix support brings an innovative proposal and powerful to transform the health care model. However, to achieve their goals is necessary to overcome some impasses, several interconnected directly with the implementation of their directives and to overcoming structural problems of the National Health System (SUS).

Key words:
review literature as topic; matrix support; primary health care