Teleconsultations in support of Primary Health Care (PHC): challenges for sustainability

Abstract

Telehealth has been consolidated as an important strategy for qualifying Primary Health Care (PHC) in the context of the Unified Health System. Teleconsulting, as a possibility of supporting professionals in service, has the capacity to support decision-making, in order to qualify management in PHC and safe referral to the secondary level of care, when necessary. The Telehealth Center of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Telessaúde UFSC), in partnership with regulatory centers in the state, has used teleconsultations as a step in referral flows from PHC to other levels of care. There are eight years of experience, more than 200 thousand cases discussed with an average potential of 40% reduction in referrals after the support of a specialist teleconsultant. Since the implementation of the flows, doctors are the main requesters of teleconsultations, with more than 90% satisfaction. The sustainability of the teleconsultation offer is guaranteed with the inclusion of specialist teleconsultants who work linked to the regulatory centers that partner with Telessaúde UFSC. This strategy guarantees the continuity, even if partial, of the service in the event of discontinuation of funding from the Ministry of Health.