General and specialized hospital care in the metropolitan area of S. Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

The situation of hospital care is analysed in the metropolitan area of S. Paulo, which consists of 37 cities and contains a population of about 8 000 000 inhabitants. In 1970, the number of hospitals was 207 with 43 639 beds (5.5 beds/1000 inhabitants). Compared to other Brazilian capitals and other countries, this rate of beds is too low and it doesn't suit to the level of its social and economic development. The general hospital care is given by 166 units and 86% belongs to private agencies and it has 25 574 beds (3.2 beds/1000 inhabitants). The actual situation is unsatisfactory when considering 5 beds/1000 inhabitants satisfactory and there is a deficit of 14 331 beds. This deficit increases since there has not been a rational criteria in the local distribuition of hospitals. From the 37 urban communities that exist in the area, 19 (250 000 inhabitants) have not general hospital and 35 cannot receive any general public hospital assistance. The city of São Paulo has 2 491 infant beds. Since we admit that 21% of general beds for children is satisfactory, there is a deficit of 3649 beds (59% of the existing beds). The hospital care given to the psychopath includes 34 hospitals which have 15686 beds (2 beds/1000 inhabitants). There is a deficit of 8 257 beds considering as satisfactory the rate of 3 beds/1000 inhabitants. The quality of the hospital care is insufficient because these hospitals are overcrowded. There is need of medical and paramedical persons, and this situation is harmful to the medical hospital care. More than 80% of beds in the State of São Paulo (almost 18 000 000 inhabitants) is centralized in the metropolitan area. Related to the available beds that give care to the tuberculosis and leprous patients there is no deficit and there are even vacant beds. This situation can be explained in large part by the emphasis given to out patients care. Connected to the qualitative pattern of medical hospital care the same limitations as described above were found.