O trabalho interprofissional na Atenção Primária à Saúde na Pandemia de COVID-19

Interprofessional work in Primary Health Care in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The interprofessional work in Primary Health Care is strategic to ensure the principle of integrality in health care. The Unified Health System has been suffering precarious conditions, given political measures that impact on the continuity of actions and services. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a new challenge, leading teams to rethink and develop strategies to maintain comprehensive health care for the population. The objective of this research was to know the perception of professionals from interprofessional health teams about the interprofessional work developed and what strategies were adopted in PHC during the pandemic period. Qualitative, convergent-care study carried out with 12 professionals from interprofessional teams, from three Health Centers in a municipality in southern Brazil. As a result of the content analysis of the interviews, and also of participant observation records, two categories were formed: Perception and changes regarding interprofessional work during the COVID-19 pandemic and Conditions for the implementation of interprofessional work. It is concluded that the pandemic promoted challenges for professionals, also impacting their mental health, and also promoted obstacles to carrying out interprofessional work, mainly due to remote work imposed by institutional regulations when facing the emergency. It was necessary to create strategies to maintain care and interprofessional work, such as offering teleconsultations, teleassistance and actions by virtual health promotion groups.