Progress, challenges and results of regulating access to health services in the unified health system (SUS) of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The Brazilian Unified Health System – SUS - Operational Standards emphasize the importance of the deployment of regulation complexes, which define as the State Manager’s responsibility the health care regulation of intermunicipal references. The regulation is done through the coordination of the Health Care Planning Process and the Regionalization Process of the health care network. In 2003, the government of Minas Gerais, defined as a priority the establishment of the State Care-Regulatory System – SUSFácil/MG, with the objective of ensuring access for users to health services, according to their needs. This study aims to describe and evaluate the process of establishment of SUSFácil/MG, using information available on the system. The deployment process began in January/2006, and, in June/2007, all regulating centrals were deployed. Currently 13 macro-regional assistance regulating plants are operating. They work on an ongoing basis with the presence of medical regulators responding as Sanitary Authority. The regulation activities are done with computerized system with online communication, which enables real time regulations. Among the features implemented are: the regulation of emergency/rescue hospitalization, elective admissions and electronic scheduling of medical appointments and exams. The increase in the number of admissions shows progress. In January/2006, 325 hospitalizations were covered and by December/2007, 44,063 hospitalizations were regulated. Within the period of implementation/operation (from Jan/2006 to Oct/2008) 542,993 hospitalizations were covered, from which 166,718 (30,7%) corresponded to intermunicipal reference and 479,349 (88,3%) to hospital emergency cases. The deployment of SUSFácil/MG is an outstanding mark, acting as a catalyst for the process of consolidating the SUS in Minas Gerais, creating a democratic and solidary environment among the actors involved, optimizing the existing care resources, contributing significantly to the equity of access and to the qualification and humanization of health services, according to the principles of SUS, and meeting the user’s needs in a timely manner.