CARTOGRAPHY OF SPECIALIZED CARE IN THE SUS: Formulation, Training and Management of Care in Networks

• Grant number: 25/22830-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: October 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health
• Principal Investigator: Ademar Arthur Chioro dos Reis
• Grantee: Diógenes Farias Gomes
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/10250-6 - Cartography of Specialized Health Care in SUS: Formulation, Training and Management of Care in Networks, AP.PP

Abstract

In Brazil, specialized care (SC) is one of the main "critical nodes" of the Unified Health System (SUS). The current SC policy is fragmented and cannot be considered a structured policy. Managers and researchers committed to the SUS must adequately assess the problem and understand the obstacles that generate waiting lists for surgeries, appointments, exams, and procedures. It is also necessary to understand the different typologies, models, and technological arrangements of care produced in different health services, considering the regional diversities and inequalities within the Brazilian context. Therefore, the objective of this research is to analyze and implement the National Specialized Care Policy (PNAES) in health regions, through training, interaction, and interconnection mechanisms to establish new care management arrangements in networks and monitor the policy's actions. This is a qualitative study that will deepen the analysis of the PNAES implementation in nine Federated Units and the Federal District, based on a preliminary multidimensional diagnosis. In each state, two to three health regions will be studied, as indicated by SAES-MS, based on the following selection criteria: a) health region in the capital and in the interior; b) presence of a University Hospital managed by the Brazilian Hospital Services Company (EBSERH). The following strategies will be adopted for data production and analysis: mapping of successful experiences (interviews with policy actors, field observation, review studies, technical visits); training-intervention for health managers and professionals; and; development of the Specialized Care Observatory for the SUS. This research is expected to yield evidence for improving the PNAES and scientific knowledge in AE, contributing to the qualification of professionals and managers for the SUS.