Perceived Quality and Users' Satisfaction with Public-Private Partnerships in Health Sector.

In Portugal, the government has accepted private management within public hospitals since 1996. The objectives of the state were to ensure more efficiency in resource management and maintain or increase the service quality provided to the users. Four public hospitals have been managed with a public-private partnership (PPP) approach. This study aimed to empirically analyse the degree of satisfaction of the Portuguese population regarding the service quality provided by PPP and Public Management Hospitals (PMH) within a structural equation model, and verify if people's literacy level, age, education, and income moderate their opinions. The study used 2077 valid questionnaire responses applied in the four regions served by the eight hospitals. The results show that the users of the PPP hospitals are more satisfied than those from PMH with statistical significance. Literacy level moderates the relationship between perceived quality and users' satisfaction, and education moderates the same relationship only in the context of PPP hospitals. More educated people with a high literacy level are more demanding, both regarding PPP and PMH hospitals. Nevertheless, the results are very beneficial to the PPP model; thus, improved decision-making regarding contract renewal might help policymakers consider the findings of this paper.

Perceived consequences of healthcare service decentralization on access, affordability and quality of care in Khartoum locality, Sudan.

BACKGROUND: Decentralization of healthcare services has been widely utilized, especially in developing countries, to improve the performance of healthcare systems by increasing the access and efficiency of service delivery. Experiences have been variable secondary to disparities in financial and human resources, system capacity and community engagement. Sudan is no exception and understanding the perceived effect of decentralization on access, affordability, and quality of care among stakeholders is crucial. METHODS: This was a mixed method, cross-sectional, explorative study that involved 418 household members among catchment areas and 40 healthcare providers of Ibrahim Malik Hospital (IBMH) and Khartoum Teaching Hospital (KTH). Data was collected through a structured survey and in-depth interviews from July-December 2015. RESULTS: Access, affordability and quality of healthcare services were all perceived as worse, compared to before decentralization was implemented. Reported affordability was found to be 53 and 55% before decentralization compared to 24 to 16% after decentralization, within KTH and IBMH catchment areas respectively, (p = 0.01). The quality of healthcare services was reported to have declined from 47 and 38% before decentralization to 38 and 28% after, in KTH and IBMH respectively (p = 0.02). Accessibility was found to be more limited, with services being accessible before decentralization approximately 59 and 52% of the time, compared to 41 and 30% after, in KTH and IBMH catchment areas respectively, (p = 0.01). Accessibility to healthcare was reported to have decreased secondary to facility closures, reverse transference of services, and low capacity of devolved facilities. Lastly, privatized services were reported as strengthened in response to this decentralization of healthcare. CONCLUSIONS: The deterioration of access, affordability and quality of health services was experienced as the predominant perception among stakeholders after decentralization implementation. Our study results suggest there is an urgent need for a review of the current healthcare policies, structure and management within Sudan in order to provide evidence and insights regarding the impact of decentralization.

Impacts of a comprehensive tuberculosis control model on the quality of clinical services and the financial burden of treatment for patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis in China: a mixed-methods evaluation.

BACKGROUND: The China National Health Commission-Gates TB Project Phase III implemented a comprehensive TB control model including multiple interventions to address the burden of drug-resistant TB (DRTB). This study aims to evaluate the quality of DRTB clinical services and assess the financial burden of DRTB patients during the intervention period. METHODS: A mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in the three project provinces: Zhejiang, Jilin and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The quantitative data included de-identified DRTB registry data during 2015-2018 in project provinces from China CDC, medical records of DRTB patients registered in 2018 (n = 106) from designated hospitals, and a structured DRTB patient survey in six sample prefectures in 2019. The quality of clinical services was evaluated using seven indicators across patient screening, diagnosis and treatment. Logistic regression was conducted to explore factors associated with the extremely high financial burden. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with policymakers and focus group discussions with physicians and DRTB patients were conducted to understand the interventions implemented and their impacts. RESULTS: The percentage of bacterially confirmed patients taking a drug susceptibility test (DST) increased significantly between 2015 and 2018: from 57.4 to 93.6% in Zhejiang, 12.5 to 86.5% in Jilin, and 29.7 to 91.4% in Ningxia. The treatment enrollment rate among diagnosed DRTB patients also increased significantly and varied from 73 to 82% in the three provinces in 2018. Over 90% of patients in Zhejiang and Jilin and 75% in Ningxia remained in treatment by the end of the first six months' treatment. Among all survey respondents 77.5% incurred extremely high financial burden of treatment. Qualitative results showed that interventions on promoting rapid DST technologies and patient referral were successfully implemented, but the new financing policies for reducing patients' financial burden were not implemented as planned. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of DRTB related clinical services has been significantly improved following the comprehensive interventions, while the financial burden of DRTB patients remains high due to the delay in implementing financing policies. Stronger political commitment and leadership are required for multi-channel financing to provide additional financial support to DRTB patients.

Evaluación de la gestión del conocimiento en el Centro Nacional de Cirugía de Mínimo Acceso / Evaluation of knowledge management at the National Center for Limited Access Surgery

RESUMEN Introducción: La gestión del conocimiento es vital para las organizaciones de salud con vistas a garantizar la calidad de sus servicios. Objetivo: Evaluar la gestión del conocimiento en el Centro Nacional de Cirugía de Mínimo Acceso. Métodos: Se realizó una investigación descriptiva de tipo transversal. Se elaboró, validó y aplicó una encuesta a 20 trabajadores del Centro en los meses de noviembre y diciembre de 2018. Se estudió la variable gestión del conocimiento, a través de sus elementos caracterizadores, los cuales fueron evaluados en dos dimensiones: importancia y frecuencia. Los datos se procesaron mediante los métodos de estadística descriptiva con el uso del programa SPSS v.21. Resultados: Se identificaron el compromiso de la alta dirección del centro con la gestión del conocimiento, la existencia de una infraestructura tecnológica suficiente para apoyar sus actividades, así como la necesidad de fortalecer los intercambios entre especialistas para compartir los resultados de investigación y aprovechar las lecciones aprendidas de los errores médicos y las no conformidades, para lo cual se requirió destinar tiempo y recursos. Conclusiones: El Centro Nacional de Cirugía de Mínimo Acceso es una institución con una destacada actividad en gestión del conocimiento. La aplicación de la encuesta para evaluar la gestión del conocimiento en el centro permitió identificar las oportunidades de mejora necesarias en apoyo a la innovación y la calidad del servicio de salud que se presta, lo que potencia aún más actividades como la formación profesional y el intercambio de las lecciones aprendidas entre los especialistas para el aprendizaje organizacional.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Knowledge management is vital for health organizations in order to guarantee the quality of their services. Objective: To evaluate knowledge management at the National Center for Limited Access Surgery. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional investigation was carried out. A survey was prepared, validated and applied to 20 employees at this institution from November to December 2018. The knowledge management variable was studied, through its characterizing elements, which were evaluated in two dimensions: importance and frequency. The data were processed through descriptive statistics methods with the use of SPSS v.21 program. Results: The investigation identified the institution top management commitment with knowledge management, the existence of a sufficient technological infrastructure to support its activities, as well as the need to strengthen exchanges between specialists to share research results and take advantage of lessons learned from medical errors and non-conformities, for which time and resources were required. Conclusions: The National Center for Limited Access Surgery is an institution with outstanding activity in knowledge management. The application of the survey to evaluate knowledge management in the institution allowed identifying the necessary improvement opportunities in support of innovation and the quality of the health service provided, which further enhances professional training and exchange of lessons learned among specialists for organizational learning.

Patient safety in graduate curricula and training needs of health workforce in India: A mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Improving quality of health services and providing safe care require well-trained and skilled workforce. The inclusion of components of patient safety in graduate training curricula, followed by adherence to curricula in teaching programs, can improve the quality of health-care services. OBJECTIVES: To review the existing training curricula for five subgroups of health workforce (Allopathic doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, and nurse midwives) and to document the components and identified variables of patient safety covered. METHODS: A mixed-methods study was conducted during July 2017-March 2018. Data were collected through desk review, field visits, in-depth interviews, self-administered questionnaires, and focused group discussions (FGDs). A total of 24 variables were identified by the experts to review the training curricula. RESULTS: Seven states, 28 institutes, and 42 health-care facilities were visited. A total of 516 staff from different health cadres participated in the study through 54 interviews, 156 self-administered questionnaires, and 24 FGDs. Of 24 patient safety variables considered, 16 were covered in the medical and nursing, 9 in laboratory technician and pharmacist, and 5 in midwives' curricula. The teaching material on the patient safety, for most categories of staff, was not available in consolidated form, and there was no standardization. CONCLUSION: There is a need for the development of comprehensive training material cum operational modules on patient safety, suitably adopted as per the learning needs of different subgroups of health staff. The need for strengthening patient safety has been further underscored as the health workforce is fighting the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic. The initiatives on patient safety will contribute to improved overall quality of health services, which in turn would advance universal health coverage.

Medical and socio-demographic characteristics associated with patient-perceived continuity of primary care: A cross-sectional survey in Hangzhou, China.

BACKGROUND: This study measured the perceived continuity of general practitioner (GP) care from the patient's perspective and identified the associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 624 patients in community health care centres in Hangzhou, China. A self-designed Likert scale was used to measure patients' perceptions on informational, managerial, and relational continuity of GP care. An average score for three types of continuity ranging from 0 to 100 was calculated. Linear regression models were developed to determine the factors influencing continuity. RESULTS: Average rating scores of 57.73 (±15.31), 50.74 (±17.18), 61.61 (±18.07), and 63.57 (±17.40) were found for total, informational, managerial, and relational continuity of care, respectively. Older patients reported a more positive rating on all types of continuity. Income was negatively associated with managerial continuity. The factors affecting informational, relational, and total continuities included chronic diseases, walking distance to nearest community health centres, signing a contract with a GP, and knowing the names of contracted GPs. CONCLUSION: Patients' perception of continuity of GP care remains at a low level, especially for informational continuity. The varied association between continuity of care and identified factors suggests that targeted actions should be considered for improving the quality of GP services.

Patient-centered care factors and access to care: a path analysis using the Andersen behavior model.

OBJECTIVES: Using the Andersen behavioral model, we examined the complex relationships among geographic access to care, financial disadvantage, patient-centered care factors, and access to care outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of the US civilian non-institutionalized population. METHODS: Our analytic sample included 15,787 US adults aged 18 years or older who had health insurance coverage for a full year in Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2014-2015. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the associations among usual source of care, travel time to provider, financial disadvantage, patient-centered care factors (perceived interaction with health provider, shared decision-making, and value of health care), and access to care (perceived access to care and unmet need of health services). RESULTS: Our analysis showed that patient-centered care factors were associated with improved perceived access to care (ß = 0.03 to 0.56, P = .002) and reduced unmet needs of health care (ß = -0.03 to -0.17, P = .03 to < .001). Although longer travel time to provider and having financial disadvantage of paying medical bills had negative effects on access to care outcomes, these associations were mediated by patient-centered care quality factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that better patient-centered care factors are associated with enhanced patient access to care. Efforts that focus on improving patient experience could be an effective approach along with coverage expansion to enhance access to quality care.

Evaluación de la estructura para la atención a diabéticos tipo 2 / Assessing the Structure for Assisting Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Fundamento: la diabetes tipo 2 en Cuba constituye un creciente problema de salud. Para la mejora continua de la calidad de la atención prestada a estas personas es necesario identificar los problemas de salud del paciente, a partir de evaluaciones, donde también se tenga en cuenta la estructura y las mejoras en el acceso a los recursos. Objetivo: evaluar la estructura que posee el Policlínico Comunitario José Antonio Echeverría de Cárdenas para la atención a los pacientes diabéticos. Método: se realizó una investigación en sistemas y servicios de salud de tipo evaluativa. Se utilizó un muestreo por conglomerado bietápico estratificado. Las variables estudiadas se relacionaron con la cobertura de los recursos humanos, capacitación y disponibilidad de recursos materiales. Los instrumentos aplicados fueron construidos y validados por expertos. Se calcularon números y porcientos como medida de resumen para variables cualitativas. El procesamiento se realizó por medo del paquete estadístico SPSS versión 21,0. Resultados: resultaron ser satisfactorios 11 de 19 indicadores, para un 57,9 %, por lo que se evaluó dicha dimensión de insuficiente. Conclusiones: la estructura resultó insuficiente, existieron deficiencias de índole material, estructural, organizacional, funcional y metodológica que repercutieron en la calidad de las prestaciones de los servicios brindados a los pacientes diabéticos.

Foundation: type 2 diabetes in Cuba constitutes an increasing health problem. For the continued improvement of the assistant quality provided to these patients, it is necessary to identify the patients health problems, upon the evaluations, where the structure and the improvements in the access to resources are also taken into account. Objective: to assess the structure of the Community Polyclinic José Antonio Echeverría of Cárdenas for assisting diabetic patients. Method: an evaluation research in health systems was developed using a sampling by stratified two stage conglomerate. The studied variables were related to coverage of human resources, training and availability of material resources. The instruments applied were built and validated by experts. Numbers and percentages were calculated in percentages as a summary measure for qualitative variables by statistic package SSPS. Results: eleven out of nineteen indicators were satisfactory, representing 57 %, so this dimension was evaluated as insufficient. Conclusion: the structure resulted insufficient, there were material, structural, functional and methodological problems which influenced the quality of the services provided to diabetic patients.

Barriers and facilitators to institutional delivery in rural areas of Chitwan district, Nepal: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Giving birth assisted by skilled care in a health facility plays a vital role in preventing maternal deaths. In Nepal, delivery services are free and a cash incentive is provided to women giving birth at a health facility. Nevertheless, about half of women still deliver at home. This study explores socio-cultural and health service-related barriers to and facilitators of institutional delivery. METHODS: Six village development committees in hill and plain areas were selected in Chitwan district. We conducted a total of 10 focus group discussions and 12 in-depth-interviews with relevant stakeholder groups, including mothers, husbands, mothers-in-law, traditional birth attendants, female community health volunteers, health service providers and district health managers. Data were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes played a role in deciding the place of delivery, i.e. socio-cultural norms and values; access to birthing facilities; and perceptions regarding the quality of health services. Factors encouraging an institutional delivery included complications during labour, supportive husbands and mothers-in-law, the availability of an ambulance, having birthing centres nearby, locally sufficient financial incentives and/or material incentives, the 24-h availability of midwives and friendly health service providers. Socio-cultural barriers to institutional deliveries were deeply held beliefs about childbirth being a normal life event, the wish to be cared for by family members, greater freedom of movement at home, a warm environment, the possibility to obtain appropriate "hot" foods, and shyness of young women and their position in the family hierarchy. Accessibility and quality of health services also presented barriers, including lack of road and transportation, insufficient financial incentives, poor infrastructure and equipment at birthing centres and the young age and perceived incompetence of midwives. CONCLUSION: Despite much progress in recent years, this study revealed some important barriers to the utilization of health services. It suggests that a combination of upgrading birthing centres and strengthening the competencies of health personnel while embracing and addressing deeply rooted family values and traditions can improve existing programmes and further increase institutional delivery rates.

Distrust in health care and cultural factors are associated with uptake of colorectal cancer screening in Hispanic and Asian Americans.

BACKGROUND: There are racial/ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, including lower uptake rates among Hispanic Americans (HAs) and Asian Americans (AAs) relative to non-Hispanic white Americans. The objective of this study was to explore pathways associated with the use of health services and to characterize multifaceted associations with the uptake of CRC screening among HAs and AAs. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2012-2013). Participants included HA (n = 3731) and AA (n = 1345) respondents ages 50 to 75 years who met CRC screening recommendations. A modified Andersen behavioral model was used to examine pathways that lead to CRC screening uptake, including predisposing characteristics (education, economic, and cultural factors), health insurance, health needs (perceived health status and several comorbidities), and health provider contextual factors (access to care, perceived quality of health services, and distrust in health care). Structural equation modeling was used to examine the models for HAs and AAs. RESULTS: In the HA model, cultural factors (standardized regression coefficient [ß] = -0.04; P = .013) and distrust in health care (ß = -0.05; P = .007) directly and negatively affected CRC screening. Similarly, cultural factors (ß = -0.11; P = .002) negatively affected CRC screening in the AA model, but distrust in health care was not significant (P = .103). In both models, perceived quality of health services was positively associated with CRC screening uptake and mediated the negative association between cultural factors and CRC screening. Access to care was not associated with CRC screening. CONCLUSIONS: Correlations between CRC screening and associated factors differ among HAs and AAs, suggesting a need for multilevel interventions tailored to race/ethnicity. The current findings suggest that facilitating access to care without improving perceived quality of health services may be ineffective for increasing the uptake of CRC screening among HAs and AAs. Cancer 2018;124:335-45. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Challenges in the delivery of public HIV testing and counselling (HTC) in Douala, Cameroon: providers perspectives and implications on quality of HTC services.

BACKGROUND: The Cameroon government has made HIV testing and counselling (HTC) a priority in its HIV/AIDS strategic plan. However, there is a dearth of literature on the perspectives of providers on the quality of HTC services. The aim of this study was to explore challenges in the provision of HTC services and their implications on quality of HTC services in Douala's district hospitals. METHODS: Two primary data collection methods supported by the Donabedian's model of healthcare were used to explain the challenges in the provision of HTC services and their implications on quality of HTC services. This consisted of semi-structured individual interviews with 6 nurses and 16 lay counsellors and a non-participant observation of the physical environment for HTC by site. The study sites were the prevention and voluntary testing and counselling centre (PVTCC) of the six district hospitals of the city of Douala. RESULTS: The study reveals concerns about confidentiality and privacy during the counselling sessions due to inadequate and limited space. An absence of consent, even verbal, was reported in one PVTCC. There is no specific accredited training curriculum that leads to a formal registration as a PVTCC staff, and some lay counsellors work without training. Lay counsellors carry the burden of HIV counselling, but the majority of them work for many years without remuneration and recognition. Another quality challenge is the high workload in the district hospitals' lab, which leads to long waiting times for HIV test results, thus contributing to failure to return for results. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study highlighted some issues such as lack of adequate space and equipment for HIV testing and counselling that hinder the quality of HTC services and should challenge the health authorities of Cameroon on the need to reorganize HTC services and create a national HIV quality assurance program.

Embedding systematic quality assessments in supportive supervision at primary healthcare level: application of an electronic Tool to Improve Quality of Healthcare in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Assessing quality of health services, for example through supportive supervision, is essential for strengthening healthcare delivery. Most systematic health facility assessment mechanisms, however, are not suitable for routine supervision. The objective of this study is to describe a quality assessment methodology using an electronic format that can be embedded in supervision activities and conducted by council health staff. METHODS: An electronic Tool to Improve Quality of Healthcare (e-TIQH) was developed to assess the quality of primary healthcare provision. The e-TIQH contains six sub-tools, each covering one quality dimension: infrastructure and equipment of the facility, its management and administration, job expectations, clinical skills of the staff, staff motivation and client satisfaction. As part of supportive supervision, council health staff conduct quality assessments in all primary healthcare facilities in a given council, including observation of clinical consultations and exit interviews with clients. Using a hand-held device, assessors enter data and view results in real time through automated data analysis, permitting immediate feedback to health workers. Based on the results, quality gaps and potential measures to address them are jointly discussed and actions plans developed. RESULTS: For illustrative purposes, preliminary findings from e-TIQH application are presented from eight councils of Tanzania for the period 2011-2013, with a quality score <75 % classed as 'unsatisfactory'. Staff motivation (<50 % in all councils) and job expectations (≤50 %) scored lowest of all quality dimensions at baseline. Clinical practice was unsatisfactory in six councils, with more mixed results for availability of infrastructure and equipment, and for administration and management. In contrast, client satisfaction scored surprisingly high. Over time, each council showed a significant overall increase of 3-7 % in mean score, with the most pronounced improvements in staff motivation and job expectations. CONCLUSIONS: Given its comprehensiveness, convenient handling and automated statistical reports, e-TIQH enables council health staff to conduct systematic quality assessments. Therefore e-TIQH may not only contribute to objectively identifying quality gaps, but also to more evidence-based supervision. E-TIQH also provides important information for resource planning. Institutional and financial challenges for implementing e-TIQH on a broader scale need to be addressed.

The association between effectiveness of the management processes and quality of health services from the perspective of the managers in the university hospitals of Ahvaz, Iran.

Background and Objective: Knowledge management is introduced as a key element of quality improvement in organizations. There was no such research in university hospitals of Ahvaz. This study aimed to determine the association between the effectiveness of the processes of knowledge management and the health services quality from the managers' view in the educational hospitals of Ahvaz city. Materials and Methods: in this correlational and research, the research population consisted of 120 managers from hospitals in University of Medical Sciences Ahvaz. Due to the limited population, the census was run. Three questionnaires were used for data collection: Demographic characteristics, the effectiveness of knowledge management processes and the quality of medical services. To analyze the data, the Spearman association analysis, The Kruskal-Wallis, the Mann-Whitney U test, were used in SPSS. Results: estimation of average scoring of the effectiveness of knowledge management processes and its components were relatively appropriate. Quality of medical services was estimated as relatively appropriate. Relationship of quality of health services with the effectiveness of knowledge management processes showed a medium and positive correlation (p < 0.001). Managers with different genders showed significant differences in knowledge development and transfer (P = 0.003). Conclusion: a significant and positive association was observed between the effectiveness of knowledge management processes and health care quality. To improve the health care quality in university hospitals, managers should pay more attention to develop the cultures of innovation, encourage teamwork, and improve communication and creative thinking in the knowledge management context.

Bases legales de la calidad en los servicios de salud / Legal basis of quality in health services

La calidad de los servicios de salud se fundamenta en la satisfacción de la población, la excelencia profesional, la eficiencia en el uso de los recursos, en ofrecer una atención con un riesgo mínimo para los pacientes y en la evaluación del impacto final de las acciones en términos de ganancia en salud para los ciudadanos. Para el logro de este fin los servicios deben organizarse de forma adecuada y establecer o aplicar las normas, guías de práctica clínica, procedimientos y protocolos diagnóstico terapéuticos necesarios, además de realizar los procesos relacionados con la verificación de los instrumentos de medición y de la tecnología biomédica basados en el cumplimiento de las legislaciones vigentes. Con el objetivo de identificar el marco legal relacionado con la calidad de los servicios asistenciales en el sector de la salud se realizó una revisión del tema y se identificaron los Decretos leyes y Resoluciones Ministeriales correspondientes que refrendan y soportan la calidad en los servicios de salud. Estos decretos y resoluciones están vigentes y su conocimiento es indispensable para su control y cumplimiento

The quality of health services is founded on the population's satisfaction, the professional excellence, the efficient use of resources, the provision of care with minimum risks for the patients, and the evaluation of the final impact of actions in terms of better health for the citizens. To this end, the services must be adequately organized and one must set or apply the required standards, clinical practice guidelines, procedures and therapeutic diagnosis protocols, in addition to implementing methods related to checking of measuring instruments and of biomedical technology, on the basis of the fulfillment of the present legislation. With the objective of identifying the legal framework associated to the quality of medical assistance services, a literature review on this topic was made and then the corresponding decree-laws and resolutions passed by the Ministry, which endorse the quality of health services, were identified. These decree-laws and resolutions are in effect, so it is indispensable to know them for their control and compliance

Avaliação da qualidade da atenção básica em 37 municípios do centro-oeste paulista: características da organização da assistência / Evaluation of the quality of primary care health services in 37 municipalities in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil: organizational dimensions of care

No Estado de São Paulo, existe uma rede extensiva de serviços de Atenção Básica (AB) com perfil organizacional heterogêneo e pouco conhecido. Este estudo objetiva caracterizar a organização dos serviços de AB em 37 municípios do Centro-oeste paulista, como primeira etapa de um projeto de avaliação da qualidade desses serviços. Trata-se de um estudo transversal conduzido mediante questionário estruturado, autorrespondido pelos gerentes e equipes locais, com questões que abordam características institucionais e de organização e gerência do trabalho. Esses questionários foram enviados para 131 UBS, distribuídas em 37 municípios. Obteve-se resposta de 113 unidades (87 por cento) localizadas em 32 municípios (86,4 por cento). Do total de unidades, 57 (50 por cento) são UBS tradicionais, 26 (22,8 por cento), Unidades de Saúde da Família, e 31, (27,2 por cento) organizadas segundo formas mistas. A maioria dos serviços (62 por cento, 70/113) não trabalha com área de abrangência delimitada de modo planejado. Os serviços se polarizam entre aqueles que realizam entre 70 e 100 por cento de consultas médicas agendadas (37,6 por cento, 41/109), e aqueles que realizam entre 70 e 100 por cento de não agendadas (39,4 por cento, 43/109). Não possuem conselhos locais organizados 65 unidades (63,7 por cento, 65/102). Os dados coletados permitem discutir as características dos principais programas, procedimentos e ações realizados pelos serviços. Os perfis organizacionais predominantes apontam a presença de deficiências de estrutura e processo em relação às diretrizes do SUS. O desenvolvimento de instrumentos de autoavaliação permite que as equipes se apropriem, de forma crítica, de seu trabalho, e possam elaborar novos arranjos tecnológicos para melhoria da qualidade.

Inadequate utilization of prenatal care in two Brazilian birth cohorts

Data for two birth cohorts from two Brazilian municipalities, Ribeirão Preto in 1994 and São Luís in 1997/1998, were used to identify and compare factors associated with inadequate utilization of prenatal care and to identify factors capable of explaining the differences observed between the two cities. Prenatal care was defined as adequate or inadequate according to the recommendations of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The chi-square test and Poisson regression were used to compare differences in the inadequacy of prenatal care utilization. The percentage of inadequacy was higher in São Luís (34.6 percent) than in Ribeirão Preto (16.9 percent). Practically the same variables were associated with inadequacy in both cities. Puerperae with lower educational level, without a companion or cohabiting, who delivered in public health units, younger than 20 years, multiparae and smokers, with low family income presented higher percentages of inadequate prenatal care utilization. However, the effects of some variables differed between the two cities. The risk for inadequate use of prenatal care was higher for women attended in the public health sector in São Luís and for cohabiting women in Ribeirão Preto. The effect of the remaining factors studied did not differ between cities. The category of admission accounted for 57.0 percent of the difference in the inadequate use of prenatal care between cities and marital status accounted for 45.3 percent of the difference. Even after adjustment for all variables, part of the difference in the inadequacy of prenatal care utilization remained unexplained.

La calidad del cuidado y la satisfacción de la persona / Quality care and client satisfaction

En este ensayo se plantea en primer lugar las diferentes concepciones y aportaciones de varios autores sobre el significado de la calidad, se hace énfasis en la calidad de los servicios de salud para dar paso a algunas reflexiones sobre las características específicas que tiene el cuidado Enfermero en cuanto a la calidad de la atención se refiere. Se caracterizan según varios autores los factores que producen satisfacción o insatisfacción del usuario de los servicios de salud, así como la complejidad que implica la evaluación de la calidad de la atención de Enfermería. Se presenta el modelo de Jurán de prevención de errores y la importancia que tiene el garantizar la seguridad de los pacientes a través de la aplicación del proceso de dirección de riesgos. Finalmente se analiza la importancia que tiene la satisfacción de la persona a la que se cuida así como el cumplimiento de sus expectativas con respecto a su atención y el papel protagónico que al respecto tiene el personal de Enfermería.

In this essay we discuss the different concepts and approaches of several authors related to the meaning of quality. Em-phasis is made in the quality of health services that give place to some reflexions over the specific characteristic that nursing care has in relationship to the quality of care. An analysis is made related to the factors that produces satisfaction or lack of satisfaction of the users of health services as well as the complexity that and evaluation of Nursing care. A model is presented as portend out by Juran on how to prevent errors and the importance that the security of a patient has through a process of risk direction. Finally the importance of the person satisfaction that is being taken care of is analysed as well as the fulfillment of the expectations hat he has in relation to his care and the protagonic role that in this context the nurses personnel have.

Doctor shopping before and after a visit to a paediatric emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Use of multiple care providers is known to be associated with poor continuity of care. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of and identify risk factors for doctor shopping by parents of children with common acute illnesses seen in the emergency department (ED) of a children's hospital. SETTING: ED at the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH), Montreal, Quebec. METHODS: Doctor shopping was defined as visiting three or more different care sites (the MCH ED, other EDs, outpatient clinics or private offices) for a single illness episode, including all visits occurring within successive 72 h periods up to a maximum of 15 days before and after an ED visit from April 1995 to March 1996. Logistic regression was used to compare characteristics of illness episodes with doctor shopping versus those without. RESULTS: Of the total 40,150 visits during the study period, doctor shopping was observed in 18% of the visits. The risk of doctor shopping was positively associated with an initial visit at other EDs (odds ratio [OR] 9.08, 95% CI 7.16 to 11.52), outpatient clinics (OR 4.47, 95% CI 3.71 to 5.37) or private offices (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.48 to 1.96) versus those who visited the MCH ED first. The risk did not differ according to whether a paediatrician versus a general practitioner saw the child during the initial visit (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.15). Some diagnoses (the reference category was upper respiratory infection), including urinary tract infection (OR 3.31, 95% CI 2.58 to 4.23) and gastroenteritis (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.35 to 1.88), were associated with an increased risk of doctor shopping, while asthma was associated with a reduced risk (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.86). CONCLUSION: Doctor shopping is common among parents of children with acute illnesses. Parents of children who were seen in the MCH ED first were less likely to doctor shop, perhaps because the parents were more confident about the advice and treatment received. Further research should investigate the underlying reasons for doctor shopping, eg, services other than an ED were not available and parents' perceptions of the quality of health services.