Patient access to oral nutritional supplements: Which policies count?

OBJECTIVES: Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) represent a cost-effective method for treating malnutrition. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of public policies on patient access to ONS, using the Italian regionalized health care system as a case study, subsequently compared with the centralized British National Health Service. METHODS: Regional policies in the nine largest Italian regions and British policies were gathered through a literature review; interviews with officers responsible for clinical nutrition policies at the regional level in Italy were also conducted. Total ONS regional sales in Italy were gathered from industry sources. RESULTS: Regulation by Italian regions focused on patient access and local prescribing issues (facilities and specialists allowed to prescribe reimbursed ONS, clinical pathways for malnutrition or disease-related malnutrition, length of prescriptions, and distribution of ONS). British policies focused on organizational issues (clinical governance through multidisciplinary Nutrition Support Teams, Nutrition Steering Committees and Clinical Commissioning Groups), education and referral by health care professionals. Neither per capita reimbursed ONS expenditure nor the proportion covered by public funds seem dependent on policies implemented at the regional level in Italy. There is no cutting-edge evidence that British policies produced broader diffusion of ONS, but they appear to have standardized their use within a more homogenous framework. CONCLUSION: As no clear relation between regional policies and variation in patient access to ONS emerges in Italy, national policies should be encouraged to enhance awareness of malnutrition among health care professionals and encourage the diffusion of multidisciplinary nutrition teams in health care organizations.

Os desafios da regionalização do SUS no contexto federativo brasileiro / The challenges of SUS´s regionalization in the Brazilian federative context

Objetivo: Este artigo discute o desenvolvimento da regionalização do SUS e sustenta que o processo obedeceu a três etapas: a descentralização rumo a uma estruturação das redes municipais de saúde; a estruturação das regiões com redes hierarquizadas de serviços de saúde e aos desenhos institucionais de participação negociada (Pacto da Saúde); e, da regionalização contratualizada, na qual o Contrato Organizativo de Ação Pública (COAP) se constitui como instrumento de referência. Metodologia: O enfoque metodológico empreendido na elaboração deste artigo foi o do tipo qualitativo, decorrendo daí uma análise bibliográfica de literatura especializada capturada a partir dos descritores Federalismo brasileiro e Regionalização da Saúde. Resultados: O federalismo brasileiro apresenta disfunções e falta de capacidade coordenativa. Conclusão: Pode-se inferir que o processo de regionalização do SUS sofre com os descaminhos do pacto federativo nacional, além das tensões atinentes à própria disputa em torno do fundo público da saúde. (AU)

Objetivo: Este artículo discute el desarrollo de la regionalización del SUS y sostiene que el proceso obedeció a tres etapas: la descentralización hacia una estructuración de las redes municipales de salud; la estructuración de las regiones con redes jerarquizadas de servicios de salud y los diseños institucionales de participación negociada (Pacto de Salud); y de la regionalización contractualizada, en la cual el Contrato Organizativo de Acción Pública (COAP) se constituye como instrumento de referencia. Metodologia: El enfoque metodológico emprendido en la elaboración de este artículo fue el del tipo cualitativo, resultando de ahí un análisis bibliográfico de literatura especializada capturada a partir de los descriptores Federalismo brasileño y Regionalización de la Salud. Resultados: El federalismo brasileño apresenta disfunciones y falta de capacidad coordinadora. Conclusión: Se puede inferir que el proceso de regionalización del SUS sufre con los descaminos del pacto federativo nacional, además de las tensiones relativas a la propia disputa en torno al fondo público de la salud. (AU)

Objective: This article discusses the development of SUS´s regionalization and maintains that the process followed three stages: decentralization towards a structuring of municipal health networks; the structuring of the regions with hierarchical networks of health services and the institutional designs of negotiated participation (Health Pact); and of contractualized regionalization, in which the Public Action Organizational Contract (PAOC) constitutes a reference instrument. Methodology: The methodological approach undertaken in the elaboration of this article was qualitative, resulting in a bibliographical analysis of specialized literature captured from the descriptors Brazilian Federalism and Regionalization of Health. Results: The Brazilian federalism introduce dysfunctions and lack of coordinating capacity. Conclusion: It can be inferred that the SUS's regionalization process suffers from the misconduct of the national federative pact, in addition to the tensions related to the dispute itself about the public fund of health. (AU)

The prominent role of Councils of Municipal Health Secretariats in the regional governance process. / O protagonismo dos Conselhos de Secretários Municipais no processo de governança regional.

This study aims to analyze the perception of managers of the Councils of Municipal Health Secretariats (COSEMS) and their contributions to the health regionalization process. We conducted thorough interviews with presidents of COSEMS of the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Ceará, Tocantins and Minas Gerais. Data were analyzed with Iramuteq software, which generated a dendrogram with three themes: The first thematic axis: the prominent role of COSEMS in the regional governance process, which includes class 1 - COSEMS' leadership in the process of regionalization, and class 3 - The strategic experience of the regional agreement process. The second thematic axis includes the challenges to the provision of health care in the regions, consisting of class 2, which shows how to meet community needs, and class 4, which shows the local support carried out by COSEMS' teams. The third thematic axis consists of class 5, which describes the operational aspects of the provision of health care in the region. COSEMS play an important role in the regionalization process, especially because they have an organic performance and leadership. Its organic performance in these areas has ensured its legitimacy and leadership. It is a daily construction that ensures the advancement of collaborative governance in health regions.

Regionalization in the SUS: implementation process, challenges and perspectives in the critical view of system managers. / Regionalização no SUS: processo de implementação, desafios e perspectivas na visão crítica de gestores do sistema.

This article examines the regionalization process in the Brazilian Health System, identifying frameworks and challenges of this process from critical dialogue on the subject, contextualized by the experience of the management system and in the light of an established theoretical debate in the last decade. We used the thematic content analysis of legal and documentary surveys of the regionalization process in SUS, collated by elements of the historical and political context in the period. As evidence, it appears that the regionalization process has been incremental decentralization/deconcentration of management and health actions and services. There are important challenges, particularly in relation to ensuring access and system governance structure, which contributes to critical thinking and construction of new perspectives by those who lead their implementation.

Coap and SUS Regionalization: the various implementation patterns in the Brazilian states. / O COAP e a Regionalização do SUS: os diversos padrões de implementação nos estados brasileiros.

This paper analyzes the implementation process of the Public Action Organizational Contract (Coap) and its impacts on state agendas of SUS regionalization, comparing the different institutional reactions of the states to the strategy proposed by Decree 7.508/11. The comparison of developing dynamics of state agendas took as reference a normative baseline structured in eight strategic political-institutional moments in the implementation of the Coap in accordance with the logic defined in Decree 7.508/11. We collected data through a questionnaire containing 35 questions (1 open, 25 closed and 9 mixed) and extensive documentary research in 2013 and 2014 in all states, except for the Federal District. Results showed that state agendas were distributed around three differentiated developing patterns: six states maintained greater distance from the national agenda established by Decree 7.508/11, engaging in a very fragmented way; 12 states engaged in the Coap agenda, selectively focusing on specific moments or stages, strengthening the process they have been developing; and 10 states maintained greater performance regularity during the eight moments of the Coap implementation cycle.

Health care networks implementation and regional governance challenges in the Legal Amazon Region: an analysis of the QualiSUS-Rede Project. / A implementação de redes de atenção e os desafios da governança regional em saúde na Amazônia Legal: uma análise do Projeto QualiSUS-Rede.

This paper aims to analyze the potential, limits and challenges of regional governance in the implementation process of health care networks in three Brazilian regions: Alto Solimões (Amazonas), Belém (Pará) and an interstate region comprising Tocantins, Pará and Maranhão states (Topama). The study is based on the evaluation study on the implementation of the Quality Health Care Network Development and Improvement Project (QualiSUS-Rede). This is a qualitative multiple case study with the analysis of official documents and use of semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders conducted from July to December 2014. Governance review encompassed three components: stakeholders involved, especially local steering groups and their regional coordination capacity; strategies used for strengthening regional governance, anchored on the intervention's modeling; and implementation of local health care networks. Results point that the regional managing commissions were the main governance strategy and that the QualiSUS-Rede Project strengthened regional governance and integration differently in every case, depending on stakeholders' administration and consensus capacity on regional and political priorities.

A systematic review of the process of regionalization of Brazil's Unified Health System, SUS. / O processo de regionalização do SUS: revisão sistemática.

This review focuses only on specific studies into the SUS regionalization process, which were based on empirical results and published since 2006, when the SUS was already under the aegis of the Pact for Health framework. It was found that the regionalization process is now underway in all spheres of government, subject to a set of challenges common to the different realities of the country. These include, primarily, that committee-structured entities are valued as spaces for innovation, yet also strive to overcome the bureaucratic and clientelist political culture. Regional governance is further hampered by the fragmentation of the system and, in particular, by the historical deficiency in planning, from the local level to the strategic policies for technology incorporation. The analyses enabled the identification of a culture of broad privilege for political negotiation, to the detriment of planning, as one of the main factors responsible for a vicious circle that sustains technical deficiency in management.

O processo de regionalização do SUS: revisão sistemática / A systematic review of the process of regionalization of Brazil's Unified Health System, SUS

Resumo Nesta revisão foram incluídos apenas estudos específicos sobre o processo de regionalização do SUS, baseados em resultados empíricos e publicados a partir de 2006, já sob o referencial do Pacto pela Saúde. Foi evidenciado que o processo de regionalização é hoje uma realidade em todas as esferas de governo, sujeito a um conjunto de desafios comuns às diversas realidades do país. Entre os principais, os colegiados são valorizados com espaços de inovação, mas ainda em busca da superação da cultura política burocrática e clientelista. A governança regional é ainda prejudicada pela fragmentação do sistema e, em particular, pela histórica deficiência com planejamento, desde o nível local às políticas estratégicas de incorporação tecnológica. As análises permitiram implicar a cultura de amplo privilégio para negociação política em detrimento do planejamento como uma das principais responsáveis por um ciclo vicioso que sustenta a deficiência técnica da gestão.

Abstract This review focuses only on specific studies into the SUS regionalization process, which were based on empirical results and published since 2006, when the SUS was already under the aegis of the Pact for Health framework. It was found that the regionalization process is now underway in all spheres of government, subject to a set of challenges common to the different realities of the country. These include, primarily, that committee-structured entities are valued as spaces for innovation, yet also strive to overcome the bureaucratic and clientelist political culture. Regional governance is further hampered by the fragmentation of the system and, in particular, by the historical deficiency in planning, from the local level to the strategic policies for technology incorporation. The analyses enabled the identification of a culture of broad privilege for political negotiation, to the detriment of planning, as one of the main factors responsible for a vicious circle that sustains technical deficiency in management.

O COAP e a Regionalização do SUS: os diversos padrões de implementação nos estados brasileiros / Coap and SUS Regionalization: the various implementation patterns in the Brazilian states

Resumo Este artigo analisa o processo de implementação do Contrato Organizativo de Ação Pública e seus impactos sobre as agendas estaduais de regionalização no SUS, comparando as diferentes reações institucionais das unidades federadas diante da estratégia proposta pelo Decreto 7.508/11. A comparação da dinâmica de evolução das agendas estaduais tomou como referência uma linha de base normativa estruturada em 8 (oito) momentos político-institucionais considerados estratégicos na implementação do COAP de acordo com a lógica definida no Decreto 7.508/11. Os dados foram coletados por meio de um questionário contendo 35 questões, sendo 1 aberta, 25 fechadas e 9 mistas, e de extensa pesquisa documental nos anos de 2013 e 2014em todas as unidades da federação, com exceção do Distrito Federal. Os resultados mostraram que as agendas estaduais se distribuíram em torno de três padrões diferenciados de evolução: 6 estados mantiveram maior distanciamento em relação à agenda nacional estabelecida pelo Decreto 7.508/11, se engajando de forma muito fragmentada;12 estados se engajaram na agenda do COAP de forma seletiva focando nos momentos ou etapas específicas, fortalecendo processo que já vinham desenvolvendo; e 10 estados mantiveram maior regularidade de atuação ao longo dos 8 momentos do ciclo de implementação do COAP.

Abstract This paper analyzes the implementation process of the Public Action Organizational Contract (Coap) and its impacts on state agendas of SUS regionalization, comparing the different institutional reactions of the states to the strategy proposed by Decree 7.508/11. The comparison of developing dynamics of state agendas took as reference a normative baseline structured in eight strategic political-institutional moments in the implementation of the Coap in accordance with the logic defined in Decree 7.508/11. We collected data through a questionnaire containing 35 questions (1 open, 25 closed and 9 mixed) and extensive documentary research in 2013 and 2014 in all states, except for the Federal District. Results showed that state agendas were distributed around three differentiated developing patterns: six states maintained greater distance from the national agenda established by Decree 7.508/11, engaging in a very fragmented way; 12 states engaged in the Coap agenda, selectively focusing on specific moments or stages, strengthening the process they have been developing; and 10 states maintained greater performance regularity during the eight moments of the Coap implementation cycle.

A implementação de redes de atenção e os desafios da governança regional em saúde na Amazônia Legal: uma análise do Projeto QualiSUS-Rede / Health care networks implementation and regional governance challenges in the Legal Amazon Region: an analysis of the QualiSUS-Rede Project

Resumo O artigo objetiva analisar potencialidades, limites e desafios da governança regional no processo de implementação de redes de atenção à saúde, em três regiões da Amazônia: Alto Solimões (AM), Metropolitana de Belém (PA) e Topama, região interestadual englobando os estados de Tocantins, Pará e Maranhão. Tem por base pesquisa avaliativa da implementação do Projeto de Formação e Melhoria da Qualidade da Rede de Atenção à Saúde (QualiSUS-Rede). Trata-se de investigação qualitativa, por meio de estudo de casos múltiplos, tendo como fontes a análise de documentos oficiais e entrevistas semiestruturadas com atores-chave, realizadas entre julho e dezembro de 2014. A análise da governança abarcou três componentes: os atores envolvidos, sobretudo os grupos condutores locais e sua capacidade de coordenação e articulação regional; as estratégias para o fortalecimento da governança regional, ancoradas na modelização da intervenção; e a implementação das redes de atenção. Os resultados apontam que as comissões gestoras regionais conformaram a principal estratégia da governança e que o Projeto QualiSUS-Rede reforçou a governança e a integração regional de modo diferenciado entre os casos, a depender da capacidade de direção e consenso entre os atores sobre as prioridades regionais e políticas.

Abstract This paper aims to analyze the potential, limits and challenges of regional governance in the implementation process of health care networks in three Brazilian regions: Alto Solimões (Amazonas), Belém (Pará) and an interstate region comprising Tocantins, Pará and Maranhão states (Topama). The study is based on the evaluation study on the implementation of the Quality Health Care Network Development and Improvement Project (QualiSUS-Rede). This is a qualitative multiple case study with the analysis of official documents and use of semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders conducted from July to December 2014. Governance review encompassed three components: stakeholders involved, especially local steering groups and their regional coordination capacity; strategies used for strengthening regional governance, anchored on the intervention's modeling; and implementation of local health care networks. Results point that the regional managing commissions were the main governance strategy and that the QualiSUS-Rede Project strengthened regional governance and integration differently in every case, depending on stakeholders' administration and consensus capacity on regional and political priorities.

O protagonismo dos Conselhos de Secretários Municipais no processo de governança regional / The prominent role of Councils of Municipal Health Secretariats in the regional governance process

Resumo O estudo tem como objetivo analisar a percepção dos gestores dos Conselho de Secretários Municipais (COSEMS) e as suas contribuições para o processo de regionalização em saúde. Foram realizadas entrevistas em profundidade com os presidentes dos COSEMS dos Estados de Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Ceará, Tocantins e Minas Gerais. Os dados analisados com o "software Iramuteq", que gerou um dendograma com o primeiro eixo temático: o protagonismo dos COSEMS no processo de governança regional que contém a classe 1, a liderança do COSEMS no processo de regionalização, e a classe 3, a experiência estratégica do processo de pactuação regional. E o segundo eixo temático, os desafios para provisão da atenção à saúde nas regiões, composto pela classe 2, que aborda como atender as necessidades da comunidade, e pela classe 4, que demonstra o apoio local realizado pelas esquipes dos COSEMS. O terceiro eixo temático, composto pela classe 5, descreve os aspectos operacionais da provisão da atenção à saúde na região. No processo de regionalização, os COSEMS têm importante protagonismo, sobretudo porque possuem atuação orgânica e liderança. Trata-se, pois, de construção cotidiana que garante o avanço da governança colaborativa nas regiões de saúde.

Abstract This study aims to analyze the perception of managers of the Councils of Municipal Health Secretariats (COSEMS) and their contributions to the health regionalization process. We conducted thorough interviews with presidents of COSEMS of the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Ceará, Tocantins and Minas Gerais. Data were analyzed with Iramuteq software, which generated a dendrogram with three themes: The first thematic axis: the prominent role of COSEMS in the regional governance process, which includes class 1 - COSEMS' leadership in the process of regionalization, and class 3 - The strategic experience of the regional agreement process. The second thematic axis includes the challenges to the provision of health care in the regions, consisting of class 2, which shows how to meet community needs, and class 4, which shows the local support carried out by COSEMS' teams. The third thematic axis consists of class 5, which describes the operational aspects of the provision of health care in the region. COSEMS play an important role in the regionalization process, especially because they have an organic performance and leadership. Its organic performance in these areas has ensured its legitimacy and leadership. It is a daily construction that ensures the advancement of collaborative governance in health regions.

Regionalização no SUS: processo de implementação, desafios e perspectivas na visão crítica de gestores do sistema / Regionalization in the SUS: implementation process, challenges and perspectives in the critical view of system managers

Resumo O presente artigo busca analisar o processo de regionalização no Sistema de Saúde brasileiro, identificando marcos e desafios desse processo a partir de diálogo crítico sobre a temática, contextualizado pela experiência vivenciada na gestão do Sistema e à luz do debate teórico estabelecido na última década. Utilizou-se da análise temática de conteúdo dos levantamentos normativo e documental sobre o processo de regionalização no SUS, cotejados por elementos de contextualização histórica e política no período. Como evidências depreende-se que o processo de regionalização vem sendo incremental à descentralização/desconcentração da gestão e das ações e serviços de saúde. Desafios importantes se apresentam, principalmente em relação à garantia do acesso e à estrutura de governança do sistema, o que contribui para a reflexão crítica e a construção de novas perspectivas por parte daqueles que protagonizam sua implementação.

Abstract This article examines the regionalization process in the Brazilian Health System, identifying frameworks and challenges of this process from critical dialogue on the subject, contextualized by the experience of the management system and in the light of an established theoretical debate in the last decade. We used the thematic content analysis of legal and documentary surveys of the regionalization process in SUS, collated by elements of the historical and political context in the period. As evidence, it appears that the regionalization process has been incremental decentralization/deconcentration of management and health actions and services. There are important challenges, particularly in relation to ensuring access and system governance structure, which contributes to critical thinking and construction of new perspectives by those who lead their implementation.

State-level and system-level opioid prescribing policies: The impact on provider practices and overdose deaths, a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: In response to persistent public health concerns regarding prescription opioids, many states and healthcare systems have implemented legislation and policies intended to regulate or guide opioid prescribing. The overall impact of these policies is still uncertain. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the existing evidence of provider-level and patient-level outcomes preimplementation and postimplementation of policies and legislation constructed to impact provider prescribing practices around opioid analgesics. DESIGN: A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was conducted to identify studies evaluating the impact of opioid prescribing policies on provider-level and patient-level outcomes. The systematic review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included in the review. A meta-analysis was not possible due to between-study heterogeneity. Six of the studies assessed state-level policies, and five were at the level of the healthcare system or hospital. Studies showed temporal associations between policy implementation and reductions in opioid prescribing, as well as opioid-related overdoses. Results were mixed regarding the impact of policies on misuse. The majority of the studies were judged to be of low quality based on the GRADE criteria. CONCLUSIONS: There is low to moderate quality evidence suggesting that the presence of opioid prescribing policy will reduce the amount and strength of opioid prescribed. The presence of these policies may impact the number of overdoses, but there is no clear evidence to suggest that it reduces opioid misuse.

Italian community psychiatry in practice: description and comparison of three regional systems.

The psychiatric reform in 1978 assigned the regions the task of implementing community mental health (MH) services; 30 years on in Italy, there are as many MH systems as there are Italian regions and all completely differentiated. Three Italian regions (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Campania) in different geographic areas are here chosen as representing three different models of community care implementation as well as certain similarities and differences at a regional level. For each region, the article focuses on MH policy, financing, the network of community health facilities, service provision, MH staff, and the information system.

How health care regionalisation in Italy is widening the North-South gap.

The Italian National Health Service began experimenting with a significant regionalisation process during the 1990s. The purpose of this article is to assess the effects that this regionalisation process is having on the rift between the north and the south of the country. Has the gap between the health care systems of the northern and southern regions been increasing or decreasing during the 1999-2009 decade? Three indicators will be utilised to answer this question: (1) the level of satisfaction expressed by the citizens towards the regional hospital system; (2) the mobility of the patients among regions; (3) the health care deficit accumulated by the individual regions. On the basis of these three indicators, there is evidence to conclude that, during the decade under study, the gap between the North and the South, already significant, has increased further.