Abstract

COSTA, Simone de Melo et al. Strengths and weaknesses of the agenda: organization of clinical care in family health teams. Arq. Odontol. [online]. 2013, vol.49, n.2, pp. 66-74. ISSN 1516-0939.

Aim: The present study aimed to identify the strengths and weaknesses in building a family healthcare agenda, based on the professional's perception of the organization of clinical care. Material and methods: This study was crosssectional, quantitative, and census-based, carried out in the Work-Health Education Program. A semistructured and self-applied questionnaire was used. Results: This study included 95 professionals with a higher education degree, including nurses, doctors, and dentists from the city Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The healthcare professionals attend to an average of 15.49 (± 6.87) patients per day, though 13.13 (± 5.13) doctors' appointments per day is considered the ideal. The organization of the healthcare clinic's schedule was classified as "moderately or poorly organized" by 48.4% of the professionals. Home care is performed (91.6%). Risk criteria were incorporated to prioritize medical services (78.9%), with the highest demand reserved for scheduled appointments (70.5%). Conclusion: Despite the strengths in the agenda, there are challenges to be confronted. The management of the healthcare system as regards primary care suggests the need to give due value to the quantitative aspect as an essential element of a productive practice, which smothers both the proper functioning and organization of a family healthcare clinic's agenda.

Keywords : Appointments and schedules; Public health; Primary health care; Family health.