Resumo

BORGHI, Gabriela Novo et al. Assessment of the reference and counter-reference system in secondary dentistry care. RFO UPF [online]. 2013, vol.18, n.2, pp. 154-159. ISSN 1413-4012.

Achieving integrality in oral health requires the organization of this system's "gateway", that is, of primary care and foremost of its connection to secondary care. Objective: to assess the reference and counter-reference system of secondary care procedures in dentistry concerning flow, service quality, and access. Materials and method: observational exploratory study of flow analysis, service quality, and access of referrals to secondary care of 12 Family Health Units (FHU) and 20 Basic Health Units (BHU) with oral health teams. In the first stage of the study users (n = 101) who sought the Dental Specialty Center (DSC) for treatment from August to December 2011 were identified. We conducted structured interviews with open questions about the waiting time for specialized care from the time of referral provided by primary care, service quality, user satisfaction, and access. In the second stage of the study we addressed the same patients with two more questions regarding their return for primary care appointments. Results: most respondents reported having waited from 1 week to 1 month for care in the specialized center, 95% of them had no complaints, and 66.66% of the patients treated at the DSC did not return for primary care. Conclusion: there is a service flow from users of primary care to secondary care in the oral health system in the city of Piracicaba (SP) - Brazil. Users were satisfied with the service; however, counter-reference was significantly deficient since most patients did not return to primary care.

Palavras-chave : Oral health.; Health services accessibility.; Public health.; Equity..