Ambulatory municipal regulation of the Unified Health System services in Rio de Janeiro: advances, limitations and challenges.

Federalism is basis of the Republic of Brazil which is made up of the union of states, municipalities and the Federal District, with the basic principle of political and administrative decentralization in all political, economic and social relations. In the health sector, the primary health care provider should be able to integrate all care that the patient receives through the coordination of health services. This article aims to evaluate the results of referrals for consultations and outpatient examinations in primary health care in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, highlighting the advances, limitations and challenges for management at the local level. A quantitative study was designed using administrative databases from the Registry of National Health Establishments (CNES), the National Regulatory System (SISREG), and a linkage between them. Between 2011 and 2015, the number of scheduled procedures increased by 86%, reflecting the decentralization of outpatient regulation for family doctors. It can be inferred that there is no shortage of specialists for outpatient care in the city in almost all areas. There are actually artificial bottlenecks that arise as a result of the lack of regulation of most of the workload contracted in specialist areas, that is, the number of vacancies is smaller than the capacity of health services available in health units at the municipal, state, federal levels and those contracted by the Unified Health System (SUS).