Private health care sector investment in Brazil: opportunities and obstacles.
The Brazilian health system is based upon the constitutional right formulated in 1988, according to which health is the peoples' right and duty of the State. So being, it is essentially the government's responsibility, expressed in the so-called Sistema Unico de Saúde--SUS (single health system) Since its creation, however, it admits the existence of a supplementary health system, left to the private sector. In general terms, the public system is considered unsatisfactory in the services it renders. Its resources are distributed heterogeneously, favoring centers of advanced medical practice, to the detriment of basic health care. The supplementary system is considered of better quality, however with great variations and frequent accusations of being essentially profit driven, instead of being driven to the needs of the assisted population. The growing search for health plans is a direct consequence of the image perceived by the population regarding the quality and accessibility of the public services, as well as of the peoples' growing consciousness of their needs, rights and duties as citizens. The need for continuous quality improvement and cost reduction offers numberless opportunities for actions and investments. Initiatives to identify and implement the best medical practices, medical guidelines and actions are essential regarding those illnesses which are most frequent, of higher cost and of greater risk. Health plans and healthcare providers will necessarily have to focus on their common client. Therefore, organizations must be created in order to develop initiatives aimed to the quality of patient care, as well as to the collection and dissemination of data regarding the production and results of the main service providers. Consequently, immense opportunities are being opened for investments in the area of Information Technology, collection, analysis, and data dissemination. This paper analyses the main trends in the Brazilian health sector and from the data and tendencies, draws various conclusions on the opportunities and barriers for private investment.
Reynaldo
R
Brandt
D001938:Brazil; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006801:Humans; D007449:Investments; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D017149:Private Sector / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D017150:Public Sector / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D012941:Social Responsibility; D017749:Total Quality Management