Abstract
The authors address parallel developments in Family Healthcare Units (USF) in Portugal (since 2006) and in primary care Family Clinics (CF) in Rio de Janeiro (since 2009). In this essay, they highlight the meeting that took place in Portugal with Brazilian Health Ministry and Rio de Janeiro Department of Health members in October 2009. Being directly involved (since May 2016) in the development of USF in the Lisbon Region, and having visited, in November 2016, several CF in Rio de Janeiro, they analyze aspects such as: organization in permanent structural multi-professional teams; main common characteristics of the teams; teambuilding processes; organization and technical autonomy; instruments to regulate autonomy; responsibility and accountability – contracting processes; monitoring and evaluation; leadership system; motivational factors for professionals and for the team as a whole; learning organizations. All these aspects converge to a “3P” framework: “purposes” – organizing and orienting multi-professional teams towards health gains and the wellbeing of the individuals and the population; “people” – both those who are beneficiaries of health care services, as well as the health care professionals; “processes” – that must be permanently questioned, evaluated and enhanced.
Primary health care; Family healthcare units; Family clinics