Title: Innovations in primary care management: a Brazilian experience

Authors: Cristine Hermann Nodari; Pelayo Munhoz Olea; Eric Dorion; Eliana Andrea Severo

Addresses: Doctorate's Program of Business Administration, PPGA/UCS, University of Caxias do Sul, UCS, Rua Francisco Getúlio Vargas, 1130 – Petrópolis, Caxias do Sul, 95070-560, Brazil. ' Doctorate's Program of Business Administration, PPGA/UCS, University of Caxias do Sul, UCS, Rua Francisco Getúlio Vargas, 1130 – Petrópolis, Caxias do Sul, 95070-560, Brazil. ' Doctorate's Program of Business Administration, PPGA/UCS, University of Caxias do Sul, UCS, Rua Francisco Getúlio Vargas, 1130 – Petrópolis, Caxias do Sul, 95070-560, Brazil. ' Doctorate's Program of Business Administration, PPGA/UCS, University of Caxias do Sul, UCS, Rua Francisco Getúlio Vargas, 1130 – Petrópolis, Caxias do Sul, 95070-560, Brazil

Abstract: Primary care (PC) is a form of organisation from the public health assistance structure that plays a key function for the local systems of healthcare, which guarantees the principles of the health system in Brazil. Based on the theories that sustain the concepts of innovation, this research has the main objective to identify the innovations which occur in the PC of the health system of Caxias do Sul, which influence the dynamics in healthcare local institutions, contributing to the region's economic and social performance. The health system of Caxias do Sul showed a high score of quality in PC orientation showing significant correlation with the number of innovations implemented, with investments in healthcare, provided in the PCU structures. The results of the study indicate that there is an institutional environmental of constant changes, simulating health and more equitable human development conditions toward a better public health management strategy.

Keywords: health systems; primary care; innovation; Brazil; public health; assistance structures; local systems; Caxias do Sul; institutional dynamics; local institutions; regions; economic performance; social performance; regional performance; quality scores; care orientation; significant correlations; institutional environments; constant change; equitable conditions; human development; management strategies; entrepreneurship; entrepreneurs; entrepreneurialism; healthcare; marketing.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2012.046118

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2012 Vol.8 No.2, pp.165 - 180

Published online: 18 Sep 2014 *

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