[Indicators for Occupational Health Reference Centers: proposal of a system for monitoring health services]

This research proposes a framework of indicators to monitor the activities of the Occupational Health Reference Centers (CEREST). CEREST are structural elements of the National Network of Comprehensive Attention to Workers' Health (RENAST) and are coordinated by the General Coordination of Occupational Health of the Ministry of Health (CGSAT). In order to build this framework, we first elaborated a list of indicators based on the norms that govern CEREST's responsibilities. As a strategy to build a participative approach, a Likert scale questionnaire was sent to 173 CEREST coordinators, who were asked to evaluate this preliminary list of indicators. After the return of the questionnaires (48,6%), the answers were analyzed, considering the CEREST scope (State or Regional), date of accreditation and location. Indicators with approval rate higher than 75% were included in the proposed framework. This instrument consisted in 12 indicators for State CEREST and 13 indicators for Regional CEREST. It is expected that the procedures proposed in this research and the framework itself might encourage the government to create a monitoring system for RENAST as well as for health services in general.