Contractualisation of philanthropic hospitals in the SUS

This study aims to analyse the National Hospital Care Policy, focusing on the Philanthropic Hospitals Restructuring and Contractualisation Programme within the SUS. This programme is a strategy adopted by the Ministry of Health in 2005 to change the contractual rules between these health establishments and local governments. The traditional financing model, of payment per procedure through the SUS table, is transformed into a mixed contract, where payments are made upon fulfilment of quantitative and qualitative targets. The aims of this programme are to alleviate the financial problems these hospitals face and to improve the quality of care and management. This research, through a case study in two contracted health establishments, collects and analyses quantitative and qualitative data that allows us to identify the impacts, progress, gaps and problems of this programme.