The objective of this research is to know and to understand the reality of Family Health Units in the city of Rio Branco, to contribute to a critical analysis of an extremely complex structure, primary care units that are the main entrance to the Brazilian health system. The field research was conducted in four Family Health Units in the Baixada do Sol region, between the years 2008 and 2009. It is a qualitative study with an ethnographic approach; data were collected through participative observation and a focus group. During the field research, it was seen that the community does not identify the Family Health Unit as a service able to solve their health problems, a fact that leads them to seek help from other services. Among the vulnerabilities we encountered are: reception in the FHUs, unqualified human resources, and disorganized work processes in terms of assistential, management, and organizational aspects. The results show that the work of the FHUs in Rio Branco centers on the doctor and curative assistance, and some professionals organize their work individually and in a fragmented manner, making teamwork difficult.
Primary Care; Work Process; Health Care Management