Abstract
The insufficient articulation between Primary Health Care and Specialized Ambulatory Care has been seen as one of the main obstacles to the organization of integrated health systems. This study aimed to evaluate of the implementation of Primary Health Care macro-processes was carried out in the municipalities of Caxias (Northern Brazil), Cristalina and Ji-Paraná (both Central-Western Brazil) and in the East Region of the Brazilian Federal District; and the Specialized Ambulatory Care in two municipalities - Caxias and Ji-Paraná - and in the East Federal District Region. Were considered the dimensions: Planning and management; Health promotion and care; Diagnostic and Therapeutic Support; and Articulation between care levels. The index of implementation of the Primary Health Care of Caxias was ‘satisfactory’ (8.54), Cristalina ‘intermediate’ (7.83) and Ji-Paraná and East Region ‘incipient’ (7.18 and 7.24, respectively). In Primary Health Care, the best results came from ‘Planning and management’ and ‘Health promotion and care’; and the most fragile, the ‘Articulation between levels of care’. Regarding Specialized Ambulatory Care, the best results were from ‘Planning and management’ and greater weaknesses were found in ‘Diagnostic and therapeutic support’. This study can contribute to changes in the cases presented, as well as offer lessons learned for other scenarios whose planning is in the implementation phase or will be implemented.
Keywords:
planning; health assessment; health care networks; primary health care; secondary health care