Performance of small-sized hospitals from small municipalities in health care networks

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to comprehend the social values and the performance and insertion of small-sized hospitals in small cities in health care networks. A qualitative study was carried out, with interviews to health secretaries and directors of these hospitals located in 14 municipalities of up to 20,000 inhabitants of the state of Paraná, having as theoretical reference bourdesian concepts of symbolic capital, habitus and field. It was verified that there is a discourse for the maintenance of these hospitals, although they do not respond in a resolutive way to the demands of the population, since their closure would have a negative impact on the legitimacy of the current manager. The small-sized hospitals participate in the emergency network, even though they do not solve many of the problems required. However, as a part of the regulatory complex, their users can be referred to larger hospitals. Regarding the Mãe Paranaense Network, most small-sized hospitals act as referrers of pregnant women to reference hospitals/maternities, although the desire of the local population was that the attention to the parturient occurred in the municipalities of residence. It is concluded that the organization of these hospitals and their inclusion in the Care Networks is still incipient.