Concepts and integrality practices in Catas Altas-MG

Abstract

Integrality is a concept with many connotations that are complementary when applied to the healthcare sector. It can be understood as the way to organize the professional practices, the healthcare services and the public policies and materializes itself in the relationship between users and health professionals. Considering this the present article, which is part of a master's degree thesis, sought to understand the concepts and practices conveyed by healthcare professionals in the city of Catas Altas - MG. The methodological outline used was the case study grounded on the Comprehensive Sociology. The results were elaborated via interviews, observations and document analysis. Among specialists integrality is considered as the holistic vision applied to the care that allows to envision other people's needs; it is the integration of individual work processes, which must be coordinated, solidary and with a single purpose; it is influenced by the culture and the social environment where it is produced; it is a combination of the preventive and the therapeutic actions provided to the user. However, Health Services continuing healthcare was not described or observed in the professional's practices.