Reflections of physicians on work in the family health strategy under the management of social organizations

Abstract

This article presents and analyzes testimonies of physicians who worked in the Family Health Strategy about the work they developed under the management of different Social Organizations (SO) in the city of São Paulo, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The results are discussed in light of the distortions that can emerge from the application of performance indicators (targets) to health services. It was concluded that the simple comparison of services’ performance regarding the achievement of targets is not sufficient to determine which service best fulfills its role in the health network, according to the guidelines of the Brazilian National Health System (SUS) and the Federal Constitution. Although the study does not allow to determine the extent to which the reported distortions affect the work carried out under SO management, it points to the importance of further research on the subject.