A Qualitative Evaluation System for the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS)

Abstract

Actions and initiatives for monitoring and evaluation accompany the development of health systems. Because of the complexity of management systems and services particular to Brazil, the need for a policy and system for monitoring and evaluation is clear given the scope and volume of services and procedures, as well as the characteristics of the legal provisions underlying such organizations. Thus, the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation of the SUS (Departamento de Monitoramento e Avaliação do SUS - DEMAS) for the Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Health (Secretaria Executiva do Ministério da Saúde) is currently constructing such a system and has proposed an “Evaluation System for Qualification of the SUS”. The SUS evaluation system comprises a set of evaluation programs that are relatively independent but related, concatenated and complementary. Combined, they are aimed at producing the necessary information and strategies to develop and qualify the SUS through evaluations for fulfilling its principles and guidelines. The analysis described herein comprises the following components: the Performance Index for the SUS (Índice de Desempenho do Sistema Único de Saúde – IDSUS), the National Program for Assessment of Health Services (Programa Nacional de Avaliação de Serviços de Saúde - PNASS), national studies evaluating use, access and satisfaction as well as a National Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care (Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica - PMAQ). The initiatives described herein are intended to provide synergy between the components and improve the management capacity of the Unified Health System (SUS).