Tecnologias da informação e comunicação na saúde – Telessaúde : um estudo de caso

Abstract

The Information and Communication Technologies are used in all areas of human activity. In health they have encouraged researches that seek improvements in the quality of health care and professional training through continuing education. One strategy that the Ministry of Health is using to improve the care of the Health System to the user is Brazil Telehealth Networks Program. This program is developed in healthcare facilities that have implemented the Family Health Strategy with the aim of developing actions to support health care, and especially for the permanent education of Family Health, aiming at education for work and in the perspective of changes in work practices that result in the quality of care in the Primary Care National Health System. Based on these principles, this study aims at examining the conceptions of health professionals involved in the mentioned project, with the focus on the use of ICT in health. The approach that underpins the research is qualitative, using in certain phases an exploratory / descriptive methodology and the case study, data were collected in 2012. As instruments of data collection, interviews with the Telehealth core team, questionnaire for professionals of health facilities, and document analysis in this case, the projects in the Santa Catarina state were used. 98 questionnaires were completed. Of the participants, 83% were female and 86% with training at the college level and 55% are nurses. As factors that facilitate participation in telehealth were cited: access the internet at UBS, organization of routine team, support the manager. The factors that hinder s: a very large demand for service, the internet speed is slow and time of web conferencing. For the analysis of the questionnaires was used the so-called "content analysis", from where emerged categories, that involved the conceptions about the use of ICT in Telehealth. It became evident that the demand in the services of the Family Health Program, and the physical structure of health facilities are important requisites for the functioning of Telehealth. The Telehealth has emerged in the answers as a means of improvement for health professionals. The demand of care in the Family Health Strategy versus telehealth services; Physical structure and technological resources for the realization of Telehealth; The Telehealth as an improvement in occupational Health Family Strategy. The research identified the need for investment in technology resources, the importance of support from managers, and design professionals that Brazil Telehealth Networks Program is an important tool in updating and ongoing training that will result in improving the quality of user assistance services health.