Distinct models of health management reflect the core principles upon which they were founded and their institutional arrangement can lead to the improvement of health policy. This paper seeks to reflect on the potential benefits and limitations of the organizational structure and the social capital to lead to changes in the performance of public health organizations in the quest for enhanced quality of care. The description and analysis of two experiences of universal public health systems, in Catalonia and in Brazil, reveal similarities in the legal basis of both health systems. However, the mode of deployment differed greatly, which gave rise to divergent management experiences. One prioritized managerial organization, while the other concentrated on the importance of the social actors promoting the institutionalization of social capital. It is suggested that models of management with dialogue between an efficient organizational design and citizen participation capable of constructing social capital may lead to change in the organizational culture and enhance the quality of care.
Health management; Quality of health care; Citizen participation; Institutional organization
