Table 1 Roles and responsibilities of included healthcare professionals in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Healthcare professionals | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
Manager | Plans, manages and organises the work process; coordinates home visits and care in the community, integrates the units with other public health services |
Family Health Strategy Primary Care Unit | |
Family practice doctors (general practitioner) | Cares for 3,500 to 4,500 people; undertakes patient appointments, health-specific community group events and home visits |
Nurse | Cares for 3,500 to 4,500 people; undertakes patient appointments, health-specific community group events and home visits; supervises the family health team |
Nurse technicians | Manage medications (check adherence, pill count and explain side effects); takes patients’ blood pressure measurement and other procedures; guides on how to take prescriptions such as insulin and how to use home tests such as a glucometer |
Community health agents | Visits all patients and their family members at least 1 time per month; checks adherence to medication, vaccination status and for any issues in the home that may impact their health |
Traditional Primary Care Unit | |
General clinicians (recently graduated doctors) | Undertakes mostly patient appointments and some health-specific group events |
Pharmacist | Checks prescriptions; delivers medication; guides on how to take medications and its side effects |
Nurse | Cares for 3,500 to 4,500 people; undertakes patient appointments and health-specific group events |
Nurse technicians | Manage medications (check adherence, pill count and explain side effects); takes patients’ blood pressure measurement and other procedures; teaches patients how to take prescriptions such as insulin and how to use home tests such as a glucometer |