Women’s group

impact of collective care in the individual assistance to a high user of health services

Abstract

Introduction: The term high user of health services has an extensive interpretation range. Still, in general terms, it refers to a person with a higher frequency of doctor’s visits than expected for their age group or sex. For family health services and teams, considering the complexity of alternative contexts, it is essential to identify a rise in the frequency of a subject’s office visits so that factors that should be reconsidered in care flow can be addressed. Among the responsibilities of primary health care professionals is organizing patient groups. These groups play a significant role in broadening the patient’s understanding of care spaces, demonstrating that care is not confined to individual consultations. In this study, patient groups are viewed as vital tools in creating a safe space for sharing negative experiences and collectively developing coping strategies for common demands. Upon identifying a high user of health services in the Santa Cecília practice and other units of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre complex, the team realized its limitations in providing the necessary care. As an alternative, it established a women’s group with a specific objective: to provide comprehensive care and support. Objective: To describe the profile of a high user of health services and the motivation to include them in a group, as well as describe the development of the mentioned group and assess the patient’s perceived effects in terms of health needs and distress manifestations after 6 months of participation. Methods: A case study was conducted on the basis of a single user and her participation in a women’s group for 6 months. We used the participant’s observations, analyzed observation contents, and reviewed her health records to assess her case follow-up and condition. Results: We observed a reduction in the frequency of doctor’s visits, number of complimentary tests, and prescription use in all specialties. Observation records suggested that the group developed a strong support network, which seems to have contributed to the improvement of the user’s clinical and emotional conditions. Conclusions: We could observe the benefits of a women’s group practice on the user’s health. This study contributes to primary health care by providing evidence on how to quantify and qualify this care tool to support the implementation of collective spaces of care for various stakeholders such as public administration, health care teams, and the public.