A Estratégia de Saúde da Família foi implantada pelo Ministério da Saúde, em 1994, para orientar o sistema de saúde brasileiro em direção a Atenção Primária à Saúde. A partir de então, a ampliação da cobertura de equipes de ESF tem estado entre as metas de governo. Para consecução deste propósito, o perfil dos profissionais e a formação se caracterizam como um grande diferencial, com papel determinante em uma reorientação desta magnitude e abrangência. A Residência Multiprofissional em Saúde foi uma das políticas criadas neste sentido. O Grupo Hospitalar Conceição oferece esta modalidade de formação desde 2004. Objetivo: Avaliar a adequação do Programa da Residência Integrada em Saúde, na ênfase Saúde da Família e Comunidade, do GHC, como uma tecnologia de formação de profissionais em APS para o SUS, através de dados coletados junto aos seus egressos. Métodos: O delineamento é um estudo de caso descritivo com associação da metodologia quantitativa e qualitativa, orientado pela avaliação de inferência causal proposta por Habicht et al. A coleta das informações se deu de maneira virtual através de um questionário semiestruturado em formato autoaplicável. A população pesquisada foram 74 profissionais egressos do Programa formados entre os anos de 2005 e de 2008. Resultados: O estudo contou com a participação de 77% dos egressos do Programa. Os dados encontrados revelam uma população de profissionais jovens, predominantemente, do sexo feminino. Estes profissionais exercem suas atividades em 19 cidades, sendo que, na cidade de Porto Alegre se concentram mais de metade deles. 76% dos egressos estão vinculados ao setor público e 49% atuam diretamente na APS. A maioria dos participantes afirma que a formação alterou a forma de perceber a realidade em APS, melhorou suas habilidades e aumentou os conhecimentos. Conclusões: As evidências produzidas no estudo fornecem subsídios para considerar o Programa como uma tecnologia adequada à formação de profissionais de saúde em APS para o SUS. / The Family Health Strategy, an initiative from the Ministry of Health, started in 1994, providing guidelines to the Brazilian Health System towards Primary Health Care. Since then, there was a remarkable increase in the strategy coverage. To pursue this objective, the professional profiles and their formation are characterized as great differentials, with a pivotal role in a reorientation of such magnitude. The Health Interprofessional Residency was one of these government policies created with this scope, and the Grupo Hospitalar Conceição has been offering this continuum education course since 2004. Objective: To evaluate the fitting adequation of The Health Interprofessional Residency, emphasis in Family and Community Health, as a good technology to train health professionals in Primary Health Care in the context of Brazilian Health System, using data collected from professionals graduated in the Residency program. Methods: The design is based on a descriptive study case, associating quantitative and qualitative methodologies, relying on the evaluation of causal inference proposed by Habicht et al. The information was collected by a virtual mode with a semi structured and self-administered questionnaire. Professionals (74) that concluded the program between 2005 and 2008 were selected to be included in the sample. Results: The response rate was 77%. The population was mainly composed by young individuals, predominantly females. These individuals perform their professional activities in 19 different cities; more than 50% were working in the State capital city (Porto Alegre). From the individuals interviewed, 76% of them were public servants and 49% were working directly in Primary Health Care. Most of the participants stated that the training during Residency had significantly changed their view in relation to the reality in Primary Health Care, improving their skills and increasing their knowledge. Conclusion: The findings from this study show that the Residency Program could be considered a good technology for training Primary Health Care professionals for the Brazilian Health System.

In the early 1990s claims were made that in all areas of health care, “30-40% of patients do not receive treatments of proven effectiveness”, and, “20-25% of patients have treatments that are unnecessary or potentially harmful”. Many such practices were diffused prior to the acceptance of modern evidence-based standards of clinical- and cost-effectiveness. I define disinvestment in the context of health care as the processes of withdrawing (partially or completely) resources from any existing health care practices, procedures, technologies or pharmaceuticals that are deemed to deliver little or no health gain relative to their cost, and thus are not efficient health resource allocations. Arguably disinvestment has been central to Evidence-Based Medicine(EBM) for well over a decade yet despite general advances in EBM, this topic remains relatively unexplored. This thesis examines the ongoing challenges that exist within the Australian context relating to effective disinvestment. Upper airway surgical procedures for the treatment of adult Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSA) are used as a case study to contextualise these challenges. This thesis has six sections: 1. A review of the literature outlines developments in EBM broadly and provides a detailed background to OSA, including the numerous treatment options for the condition. This review examines evidence that highlights the importance of ‘highly effective treatment’ over ‘subtherapeutic treatment’ as a necessity to confer improved health outcomes in OSA. It is argued that claims of surgical success inherent in most published results of surgery effectiveness fail to assimilate contemporary evidence for clinically significant indicators of success. 2. Section two comprises the first reported meta-analysis in this area. It presents the pooled success rates of surgery according to various definitions. Specifically, when the traditional ‘surgical’ definition of success is applied the pooled success rate for Phase I (i.e. soft palate) surgical procedures is 55% (that is 45% fail). However, using a more stringent definition (endorsed by the peak international sleep medicine body), success is reduced to 13% (that is 87% fail). Similarly for Phase II (i.e. hard palate) procedures success rates decrease from 86% to 43% respectively when moving from a surgical to a medical definition of success. That various medical specialties differentially define treatment success, I argue, creates uncertainty for observers and non-clinical participants in this debate (eg policy stakeholders and patients). This represents a barrier to disinvestment decisions. 3. Results are presented from a clinical audit of surgical cases conducted as a component of this thesis. Both clinical effectiveness and procedural variability of surgery are reported. A unique methodology was utilised to capture data from multiple centres. It is the first time such a methodology has been reported to measure procedural variability alongside clinical effectiveness (inclusive of a comparative treatment arm). The observed cohort (n=94) received 41 varying combinations of surgery in an attempt to treat OSA. Results on effectiveness demonstrate an overall physiological success rate of 13% (according to the most stringent definition; phases I and II combined). This demonstration of procedural variability combined with limited effectiveness highlights clinical uncertainty in the application of surgical procedures. 4. Section four outlines how a qualitative phase of enquiry, directed at exploring the perspectives and experiences of surgery recipients, was approved by three independent research ethics review boards but was not supported by a small group of surgeons, resulting in the project being canceled. Potential consequences of this for impeding health services research (HSR) are discussed. 5. Two sets of results are reported from a qualitative phase of enquiry (semi-structured interviews) involving senior Australian health policy stakeholders. The first results are of policy stakeholders’ perspectives on the surgical meta-analysis and clinical audit studies in 2 and 3 above. The second results are from an extended series of questions relating to challenges and direction for effecting disinvestment mechanisms in Australia. Stakeholder responses highlight that Australia currently has limited formal systems in place to support disinvestment. Themes include how defining and proving inferiority of health care practices is not only conceptually difficult but also is limited by data availability and interpretation. Also, as with any policy endeavour there is the ever-present need to balance multiple interests. Stakeholders pointed to a need, and a role, for health services and policy research to build methodological capacity and decision support tools to underpin disinvestment. 6. A final discussion piece is presented that builds on all previous sections and summarises the specific challenges that exist for disinvestment, including those methodological in nature. The thesis concludes with potential solutions to address these challenges within the Australian and international context. Systematic policy approaches to disinvestment represent one measure to further improve equity, efficiency, quality of care, as well as sustainability of resource allocation. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1297655 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, 2007

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

In the early 1990s claims were made that in all areas of health care, “30-40% of patients do not receive treatments of proven effectiveness”, and, “20-25% of patients have treatments that are unnecessary or potentially harmful”. Many such practices were diffused prior to the acceptance of modern evidence-based standards of clinical- and cost-effectiveness. I define disinvestment in the context of health care as the processes of withdrawing (partially or completely) resources from any existing health care practices, procedures, technologies or pharmaceuticals that are deemed to deliver little or no health gain relative to their cost, and thus are not efficient health resource allocations. Arguably disinvestment has been central to Evidence-Based Medicine(EBM) for well over a decade yet despite general advances in EBM, this topic remains relatively unexplored. This thesis examines the ongoing challenges that exist within the Australian context relating to effective disinvestment. Upper airway surgical procedures for the treatment of adult Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSA) are used as a case study to contextualise these challenges. This thesis has six sections: 1. A review of the literature outlines developments in EBM broadly and provides a detailed background to OSA, including the numerous treatment options for the condition. This review examines evidence that highlights the importance of ‘highly effective treatment’ over ‘subtherapeutic treatment’ as a necessity to confer improved health outcomes in OSA. It is argued that claims of surgical success inherent in most published results of surgery effectiveness fail to assimilate contemporary evidence for clinically significant indicators of success. 2. Section two comprises the first reported meta-analysis in this area. It presents the pooled success rates of surgery according to various definitions. Specifically, when the traditional ‘surgical’ definition of success is applied the pooled success rate for Phase I (i.e. soft palate) surgical procedures is 55% (that is 45% fail). However, using a more stringent definition (endorsed by the peak international sleep medicine body), success is reduced to 13% (that is 87% fail). Similarly for Phase II (i.e. hard palate) procedures success rates decrease from 86% to 43% respectively when moving from a surgical to a medical definition of success. That various medical specialties differentially define treatment success, I argue, creates uncertainty for observers and non-clinical participants in this debate (eg policy stakeholders and patients). This represents a barrier to disinvestment decisions. 3. Results are presented from a clinical audit of surgical cases conducted as a component of this thesis. Both clinical effectiveness and procedural variability of surgery are reported. A unique methodology was utilised to capture data from multiple centres. It is the first time such a methodology has been reported to measure procedural variability alongside clinical effectiveness (inclusive of a comparative treatment arm). The observed cohort (n=94) received 41 varying combinations of surgery in an attempt to treat OSA. Results on effectiveness demonstrate an overall physiological success rate of 13% (according to the most stringent definition; phases I and II combined). This demonstration of procedural variability combined with limited effectiveness highlights clinical uncertainty in the application of surgical procedures. 4. Section four outlines how a qualitative phase of enquiry, directed at exploring the perspectives and experiences of surgery recipients, was approved by three independent research ethics review boards but was not supported by a small group of surgeons, resulting in the project being canceled. Potential consequences of this for impeding health services research (HSR) are discussed. 5. Two sets of results are reported from a qualitative phase of enquiry (semi-structured interviews) involving senior Australian health policy stakeholders. The first results are of policy stakeholders’ perspectives on the surgical meta-analysis and clinical audit studies in 2 and 3 above. The second results are from an extended series of questions relating to challenges and direction for effecting disinvestment mechanisms in Australia. Stakeholder responses highlight that Australia currently has limited formal systems in place to support disinvestment. Themes include how defining and proving inferiority of health care practices is not only conceptually difficult but also is limited by data availability and interpretation. Also, as with any policy endeavour there is the ever-present need to balance multiple interests. Stakeholders pointed to a need, and a role, for health services and policy research to build methodological capacity and decision support tools to underpin disinvestment. 6. A final discussion piece is presented that builds on all previous sections and summarises the specific challenges that exist for disinvestment, including those methodological in nature. The thesis concludes with potential solutions to address these challenges within the Australian and international context. Systematic policy approaches to disinvestment represent one measure to further improve equity, efficiency, quality of care, as well as sustainability of resource allocation. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1297655 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, 2007

In the early 1990s claims were made that in all areas of health care, “30-40% of patients do not receive treatments of proven effectiveness”, and, “20-25% of patients have treatments that are unnecessary or potentially harmful”. Many such practices were diffused prior to the acceptance of modern evidence-based standards of clinical- and cost-effectiveness. I define disinvestment in the context of health care as the processes of withdrawing (partially or completely) resources from any existing health care practices, procedures, technologies or pharmaceuticals that are deemed to deliver little or no health gain relative to their cost, and thus are not efficient health resource allocations. Arguably disinvestment has been central to Evidence-Based Medicine(EBM) for well over a decade yet despite general advances in EBM, this topic remains relatively unexplored. This thesis examines the ongoing challenges that exist within the Australian context relating to effective disinvestment. Upper airway surgical procedures for the treatment of adult Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSA) are used as a case study to contextualise these challenges. This thesis has six sections: 1. A review of the literature outlines developments in EBM broadly and provides a detailed background to OSA, including the numerous treatment options for the condition. This review examines evidence that highlights the importance of ‘highly effective treatment’ over ‘subtherapeutic treatment’ as a necessity to confer improved health outcomes in OSA. It is argued that claims of surgical success inherent in most published results of surgery effectiveness fail to assimilate contemporary evidence for clinically significant indicators of success. 2. Section two comprises the first reported meta-analysis in this area. It presents the pooled success rates of surgery according to various definitions. Specifically, when the traditional ‘surgical’ definition of success is applied the pooled success rate for Phase I (i.e. soft palate) surgical procedures is 55% (that is 45% fail). However, using a more stringent definition (endorsed by the peak international sleep medicine body), success is reduced to 13% (that is 87% fail). Similarly for Phase II (i.e. hard palate) procedures success rates decrease from 86% to 43% respectively when moving from a surgical to a medical definition of success. That various medical specialties differentially define treatment success, I argue, creates uncertainty for observers and non-clinical participants in this debate (eg policy stakeholders and patients). This represents a barrier to disinvestment decisions. 3. Results are presented from a clinical audit of surgical cases conducted as a component of this thesis. Both clinical effectiveness and procedural variability of surgery are reported. A unique methodology was utilised to capture data from multiple centres. It is the first time such a methodology has been reported to measure procedural variability alongside clinical effectiveness (inclusive of a comparative treatment arm). The observed cohort (n=94) received 41 varying combinations of surgery in an attempt to treat OSA. Results on effectiveness demonstrate an overall physiological success rate of 13% (according to the most stringent definition; phases I and II combined). This demonstration of procedural variability combined with limited effectiveness highlights clinical uncertainty in the application of surgical procedures. 4. Section four outlines how a qualitative phase of enquiry, directed at exploring the perspectives and experiences of surgery recipients, was approved by three independent research ethics review boards but was not supported by a small group of surgeons, resulting in the project being canceled. Potential consequences of this for impeding health services research (HSR) are discussed. 5. Two sets of results are reported from a qualitative phase of enquiry (semi-structured interviews) involving senior Australian health policy stakeholders. The first results are of policy stakeholders’ perspectives on the surgical meta-analysis and clinical audit studies in 2 and 3 above. The second results are from an extended series of questions relating to challenges and direction for effecting disinvestment mechanisms in Australia. Stakeholder responses highlight that Australia currently has limited formal systems in place to support disinvestment. Themes include how defining and proving inferiority of health care practices is not only conceptually difficult but also is limited by data availability and interpretation. Also, as with any policy endeavour there is the ever-present need to balance multiple interests. Stakeholders pointed to a need, and a role, for health services and policy research to build methodological capacity and decision support tools to underpin disinvestment. 6. A final discussion piece is presented that builds on all previous sections and summarises the specific challenges that exist for disinvestment, including those methodological in nature. The thesis concludes with potential solutions to address these challenges within the Australian and international context. Systematic policy approaches to disinvestment represent one measure to further improve equity, efficiency, quality of care, as well as sustainability of resource allocation. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1297655 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, 2007

Η παρούσα διατριβή έχει στόχο τη διερεύνηση της επίδρασης της νέας ιατρικής τεχνολογίας στην αποτελεσματικότητα παραγωγής των Μονάδων Εντατικής Θεραπείας (ΜΕΘ) στην Ελλάδα, καθώς και τον εντοπισμό των στοιχείων που επηρεάζουν τη διαδικασία λήψης αποφάσεων στο πλαίσιο του Εθνικού Συστήματος Υγείας (ΕΣΥ) για την υιοθέτηση ιατρικής τεχνολογίας. Για την εκτίμηση της αποτελεσματικότητας κάθε μονάδας, εφαρμόζεται η τεχνική bootstrapped DEA των Simar και Wilson (2007), ενώ για την διερεύνηση των στοιχείων που οδηγούν στην απόφαση υιοθέτησης γίνεται χρήση υποδειγμάτων probit. Κατόπιν, με τη χρήση υποδειγμάτων επιβίωσης εντοπίζονται οι παράγοντες που κατηγοριοποιούν τις Νοσοκομειακές μονάδες αναφορικά με το χρόνο υιοθέτησης. Ο αξονικός τομογράφος στα δημόσια νοσοκομεία χρησιμοποιείται σαν μελέτη περίπτωσης. Η μελέτη κατέδειξε ελλείμματα τόσο στην τεχνική αποτελεσματικότητα όσο και στην αποτελεσματικότητα κλίμακας στις περισσότερες μονάδες που εξετάστηκαν, κυρίως λόγω έλλειψης νοσηλευτικού προσωπικού. Τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν ότι αν και η τεχνική αποτελεσματικότητα επωφελείται από την ενσωμάτωση των νέων ιατρικών τεχνολογιών, η αποτελεσματικότητα κλίμακας παραμένει ανεπηρέαστη. Αναφορικά με το την πιθανότητα και το χρόνο υιοθέτησης, διαπιστώθηκε ότι το μέγεθος του νοσοκομείου και η πληρότητα επιδρούν θετικά. Τέλος, τα συμπεράσματα επεξηγούν το βαθμό στον οποίο η υιοθέτηση νέας τεχνολογίας επηρεάζει τόσο την αποτελεσματικότητα των Νοσοκομειακών μονάδων γενικότερα, όσο και τη διαδικασία λήψης σχετικών αποφάσεων. Η παρούσα Διατριβή συμβάλλει στην γενικότερη ανάπτυξη της αποτελεσματικότητας του Συστήματος Υγείας και στην προώθηση του διαλόγου μεταξύ των εμπλεκόμενων στα θέματα διοίκησης και διαχείρισης του Συστήματος Υγείας. / This thesis aims to investigate the effect of new medical technology on the production efficiency of Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in Greece and unravel the elements which influence the decision making process concerning the adoption of new medical technologies in the context of the Greek Health System. In order to evaluate the efficiency of each Unit, the bootstrapped DEA of Simar and Wilson (2007) is applied, while a probit model is used for exploring the elements that lead to the adoption decision. Then, the factors that categorize hospitals regarding the timing of adoption are identified through the use of survival models. Computerized tomography in the Greek public sector is used as a case study. The study demonstrated deficits in both technical and scale efficiency in most Units, mainly due to lack of nursing staff. The results show that while technical efficiency has benefited from new medical technology integration, the scale efficiency remains unaffected. With respect to the likelihood and the time of adoption, it was found that the hospital’s size and plenitude have positive impact. Finally, the findings explain the extent to which health technology adoption affects both the hospital’s efficiency and the decision-making process. The present thesis contributes to the overall increase of the Health System efficiency as well as in promoting the dialogue between health administrators.

Submitted by Fernando de Rezende Francisco (frfrancisco@gmail.com) on 2017-04-07T11:20:44Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao - Fernando de Rezende Francisco.pdf: 1143087 bytes, checksum: 4583241a1e35be54f0b86d1af2911fb4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Pamela Beltran Tonsa (pamela.tonsa@fgv.br) on 2017-04-07T12:23:06Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao - Fernando de Rezende Francisco.pdf: 1143087 bytes, checksum: 4583241a1e35be54f0b86d1af2911fb4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-07T12:42:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao - Fernando de Rezende Francisco.pdf: 1143087 bytes, checksum: 4583241a1e35be54f0b86d1af2911fb4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-14 / There is a lack in literature about the use of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) for decision making in Brazilian’s hospitals. In addition, there is evidence that the application of HTA in hospitals can improve the use of financial investments. The objective of this study was to analyze the application of HTA methods in decision making in hospitals linked to REBRATS (Brazilian Network for the Health Technologies Assessment). Grounded Theory methodology has been applied, and the interviews data were analyzed using the ATLAS.ti software. Interviews were conducted with managers of eleven hospital-based HTA units (called “NATS”, Núcleo de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde), based on a semi-structured script prepared from the 15 guiding principles for good practices in hospital-based HTA units. The results indicated that HTA is applied in an incipient way in the decision making process in hospitals. The analysis of the interviews’ content also allowed us to conclude that the success of the hospitalbased HTA units for the incorporation and disincorporation of health technologies depends on a chain of related strategic actions, and the lack of any of the stages weakens or even impedes the full application of HTA for decision-making in hospitals. / Faltam informações na literatura sobre a aplicação de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde (ATS) em hospitais no Brasil. Adicionalmente, há indícios de que a aplicação de ATS em hospitais pode melhorar o uso dos investimentos financeiros. O objetivo do trabalho foi analisar a aplicação dos métodos de ATS na tomada de decisão em hospitais vinculados à REBRATS (Rede Brasileira de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde). Optou-se por utilizar o método da Grounded Theory, ou Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados, e os dados foram analisados com o uso do software ATLAS.ti. Foram realizadas entrevistas com gestores de onze núcleos de ATS (NATS), baseadas em roteiro semiestruturado preparado a partir dos 15 princípios orientadores para boas práticas de ATS em hospitais. Os resultados indicaram que a ATS é aplicada de maneira incipiente no processo de tomada de decisão em hospitais. A análise do conteúdo das entrevistas permitiu, ainda, concluir que o sucesso dos NATS para a incorporação e desincorporação de tecnologias em saúde depende de uma cadeia de ações estratégicas relacionadas, e a falta de qualquer uma das etapas enfraquece, ou mesmo inviabiliza, a plena aplicação da ATS para a tomada de decisões em hospitais.

Cette thèse examine plusieurs questions relatives à la qualité des soins hospitaliers, à travers les prismes disciplinaires de l’économie et de la santé publique.Le premier chapitre introduit la notion de qualité des soins en santé publique et en économie. L’examen du traitement classique de cette notion dans les deux disciplines met en évidence la convergence des définitions de la qualité des soins proposées et la complémentarité des approches de la régulation promues par les deux disciplines.La concurrence à prix fixes, telle que celle induite par la tarification à l’activité, devrait conduire à une amélioration de la qualité des soins si la demande est sensible à la qualité. Dans le deuxième chapitre, nous exploitons des données relatives à la diffusion publique de palmarès hospitaliers pour estimer, à partir d’un panel d’établissements français et pour plusieurs situations cliniques, l’élasticité de la demande de soins vis-à-vis de la qualité, pour les secteurs public et privé. Nous mettons en évidence un impact des palmarès sur l’activité des hôpitaux privés, pour l’une des situations cliniques considérées. En revanche, la demande adressée au secteur public ne semble pas influencée par la publication des palmarès. Ces résultats questionnent l’hypothèse d’une concurrence en qualité dans le secteur public en France.Le troisième chapitre s’intéresse au coût de stratégies de lutte contre les infections nosocomiales, dans une perspective hospitalière. Nous avons évalué les coûts associés à des interventions de promotion de mesures d’hygiène générale ou de dépistage ciblé des bactéries multi-résistantes, dans le cadre de deux essais cliniques multi-centriques européens en soins intensifs et en chirurgie. Nos résultats soulignent la plus grande variabilité des coûts des stratégies de promotion globales et, pour les interventions dont l’efficacité a été démontrée dans le cadre de ces études, un coût de mise en œuvre compatible avec l’hypothèse que ces interventions sont coût-efficaces. / This work takes the perspectives of economics and public health to study issues related to the quality of hospital care.The first chapter introduces the concept of quality of care in economics and public health. We show that the two fields use similar definitions of the concept but explore differing and complementary approaches towards its regulation.Fixed price competition between hospitals, as implemented by a prospective payment system, should lead to an improvement of care quality, provided that the demand for care is increasing with quality. The second chapter evaluates the sensitivity to quality of demand for hospital care in France, using ranking lists published by the lay media as a measure of information on quality available to potential patients. We estimate changes in hospital demand caused by ranking lists on a panel of hospitals located in the Paris area, for several pathologies. We find a sizeable and significant demand shift towards hospitals belonging to the top list in the forprofit sector for one pathology. No effect is observed for non-profit hospitals, or for other pathologies in the for profit sector. Competition for quality may thus not be a feasible regulation approach for French public hospitals.The third chapter provides evidence regarding the cost of hospital infection control strategies targeting antimicrobial resistant bacteria. We estimated the burden and costs associated with two types of strategies, relying on targeted screening or on general hygiene promotion strategies, in two multinational controlled clinical trials, in surgical and intensive care units.Our results highlight the variability of costs associated with broad, non-specific hygiene promotion interventions, and, for interventions which were found to be effective by the clinical trials, costs that are consistent with the hypothesis that these interventions are costeffective.

A Estratégia de Saúde da Família foi implantada pelo Ministério da Saúde, em 1994, para orientar o sistema de saúde brasileiro em direção a Atenção Primária à Saúde. A partir de então, a ampliação da cobertura de equipes de ESF tem estado entre as metas de governo. Para consecução deste propósito, o perfil dos profissionais e a formação se caracterizam como um grande diferencial, com papel determinante em uma reorientação desta magnitude e abrangência. A Residência Multiprofissional em Saúde foi uma das políticas criadas neste sentido. O Grupo Hospitalar Conceição oferece esta modalidade de formação desde 2004. Objetivo: Avaliar a adequação do Programa da Residência Integrada em Saúde, na ênfase Saúde da Família e Comunidade, do GHC, como uma tecnologia de formação de profissionais em APS para o SUS, através de dados coletados junto aos seus egressos. Métodos: O delineamento é um estudo de caso descritivo com associação da metodologia quantitativa e qualitativa, orientado pela avaliação de inferência causal proposta por Habicht et al. A coleta das informações se deu de maneira virtual através de um questionário semiestruturado em formato autoaplicável. A população pesquisada foram 74 profissionais egressos do Programa formados entre os anos de 2005 e de 2008. Resultados: O estudo contou com a participação de 77% dos egressos do Programa. Os dados encontrados revelam uma população de profissionais jovens, predominantemente, do sexo feminino. Estes profissionais exercem suas atividades em 19 cidades, sendo que, na cidade de Porto Alegre se concentram mais de metade deles. 76% dos egressos estão vinculados ao setor público e 49% atuam diretamente na APS. A maioria dos participantes afirma que a formação alterou a forma de perceber a realidade em APS, melhorou suas habilidades e aumentou os conhecimentos. Conclusões: As evidências produzidas no estudo fornecem subsídios para considerar o Programa como uma tecnologia adequada à formação de profissionais de saúde em APS para o SUS. / The Family Health Strategy, an initiative from the Ministry of Health, started in 1994, providing guidelines to the Brazilian Health System towards Primary Health Care. Since then, there was a remarkable increase in the strategy coverage. To pursue this objective, the professional profiles and their formation are characterized as great differentials, with a pivotal role in a reorientation of such magnitude. The Health Interprofessional Residency was one of these government policies created with this scope, and the Grupo Hospitalar Conceição has been offering this continuum education course since 2004. Objective: To evaluate the fitting adequation of The Health Interprofessional Residency, emphasis in Family and Community Health, as a good technology to train health professionals in Primary Health Care in the context of Brazilian Health System, using data collected from professionals graduated in the Residency program. Methods: The design is based on a descriptive study case, associating quantitative and qualitative methodologies, relying on the evaluation of causal inference proposed by Habicht et al. The information was collected by a virtual mode with a semi structured and self-administered questionnaire. Professionals (74) that concluded the program between 2005 and 2008 were selected to be included in the sample. Results: The response rate was 77%. The population was mainly composed by young individuals, predominantly females. These individuals perform their professional activities in 19 different cities; more than 50% were working in the State capital city (Porto Alegre). From the individuals interviewed, 76% of them were public servants and 49% were working directly in Primary Health Care. Most of the participants stated that the training during Residency had significantly changed their view in relation to the reality in Primary Health Care, improving their skills and increasing their knowledge. Conclusion: The findings from this study show that the Residency Program could be considered a good technology for training Primary Health Care professionals for the Brazilian Health System.

Pacientes portadores de comunicação oronasal necessitam de dispositivo protético obturador, para o restabelecimento da sua função, estética e qualidade de vida perdida, devido à remoção ou ausência da maxila. Esta tecnologia reabilitadora vem se desenvolvendo há alguns séculos, com aprimoramentos das técnicas de confecção e materiais odontológicos que auxiliem na elaboração de obturadores cada vez mais eficientes, principalmente no que se refere a sua adaptação. Esta tecnologia é fortemente dependente tanto do domínio das técnicas laboratoriais, quanto de habilidades específicas na arte da reconstrução da face (manuais, sensitivas e tácitas), pois sua confecção é artesanal, personalizada e individualizada, determinando que a disponibilidade e distribuição dos recursos humanos qualificados para a sua elaboração constituam-se em obstáculo significativo para um acesso mais amplo e equânime. O trabalho em tela teve por objetivo examinar o estado da arte relativo às diferentes técnicas de moldagens e confecção das próteses obturadoras utilizadas no cuidado reabilitador de pacientes maxilarectomizados, buscando subsidiar proposições para o seu aprimoramento. Este estudo teórico-exploratório utilizou dois caminhos metodológicos complementares. O primeiro tomou por base uma revisão de literatura científica nacional e internacional e acadêmica, publicada sob a forma de artigos, teses e dissertações, utilizando as bases bibliográficas MEDLINE, BBO, LILACS, SCIELO, Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde e Colaboração Cochrane, e as bases de dissertações e teses da CAPES Banco de Teses; Base Thesis e Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações (BDTD), do Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia (IBICT). O segundo caminho teve por foco a exploração de um dos principais limitadores ao acesso e utilização dos dispositivos obturadores do país a escassez de recursos humanos especializados buscando-se identificar os centros formadores de capacitação nesta área específica, a partir da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal Nível Superior (CAPES) do Ministério da Educação e do Conselho Federal de Odontologia, bem como o número de profissionais Protesistas Bucomaxilofaciais e Técnicos em Prótese Dentárias disponíveis em território Nacional para confecção dos obturadores, a partir de consulta ao Conselho Federal de Odontologia (CFO). Os resultados permitiram traçar um panorama histórico de desenvolvimento tecnológico destas próteses desde os primeiros dispositivos utilizando materiais da natureza. São apresentados e discutidos vários tipos de obturadores, bem como as diversas técnicas e materiais envolvidos, sendo também explorados seus benefícios para reabilitação, em particular os impactos na qualidade de vida associados ao seu uso, e alguns obstáculos técnicos a serem ultrapassados para melhoria da tecnologia reabilitadora. O exame do quantitativo e distribuição regional dos diversos profissionais envolvidos na sua confecção sinaliza uma grande escassez destes recursos humanos, bem como sua grande concentração na região Sudeste, em particular no eixo Rio - São Paulo. Além disto, o numero de centros formadores em termos técnicos de nível médio e de pós- graduação é insignificante e ainda vem ocorrendo à desativação de cursos, pela falta de procura. Esses dados apontam para significativas dificuldades no acesso a tecnologia, proveniente, sobretudo da falta e má distribuição regional de profissionais capacitados em prótese bucomaxilofacial em território nacional, dos escassos centros formadores de recursos humanos e do baixo incentivo ao ensino e pesquisa / Patients with oral-nasal connection due to the absence or extirpation of the maxilla need a prosthetic obturator for esthetical reasons, to restore function, and to partially regain the lost quality of life. This technology has evolved in the course of many centuries in conjunction with the improvement in manufacturing techniques and odontological materials that play a role in the elaboration and design of more efficient obturators, especially regarding their adaptation. This technology is exceedingly dependent on the mastery of laboratorial methods as well as specific skills in the art of facial reconstruction because its confection is artisanal, personalized, and customized. The existence and distribution of suitable human resources are an evident obstacle to the evenly access to this technology. The aim of this work was to scrutinize the state of the art regarding different moulding and manufacturing techniques of prosthetic obturators employed in the rehabilitation process of maxillectomized patients, intending to make a contribution for its improvement. This theoretical-exploratory study used two complementary methodological instruments. One was a broad review of the national and international scientific literature published as articles, doctoral thesis and dissertations, utilizing different bibliographical databases: MEDLINE, BBO, LILACS, SCIELO, Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde (Virtual Health Library), and The Cochrane Collaboration, as well as the doctoral thesis and dissertations included in the CAPES database - Base Thesis and Digital Library of thesis and dissertations, from the Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology. The other methodological instrument focused on the investigation of the main reasons for the restricted access of patients to prosthetic obturators in our country the lack of expert human resources trying to identify the centers of excellence and development in this specific area using the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) of the Ministry of Education and of the Federal Council of Odontology, as well as the number of dedicated technicians making bucomaxillofacial prosthesis and dental prosthesis in our national territory by consulting the Federal Council of Odontology. The results allowed the construction of a historical frame of the technological development of these prosthesis from the very first obturators manufactured with natural materials. Different types of obturators are presented and discussed, along with the many techniques and the various materials employed. Their specific benefits for the rehabilitation process are also discussed, in particular the impact in quality of life associated with its specific use. Obstacles to the further development and implementation of the rehabilitation technology are also examined. The availability and regional distribution of qualified personnel reveal a remarkable shortage of human resources and its overwhelming concentration to the Southeast region, particularly the Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo area. There are a negligible number of centers for preparing technicians and offering post graduation opportunities. Furthermore, there are centers being deactivated due to the lack of demand. This data demonstrates the striking difficulties in making this technology more evenly available throughout the national territory as a result of the lack of incentive for education and research