Dehospitalisation at a general hospital in Minas Gerais: challenges and prospects

To analyse the dehospitalisation process at a general public hospital in Minas Gerais, Brazil, from the perspective of managers, health workers, users and their families.

This is a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study based on the principles of methodological and theoretical dialectics. The participants were 24 hospital health workers and 15 companions of users going through the process of dehospitalisation. Data were collected from April to June 2015 using semi-structured interviews and a field journal records and subsequently subjected to content analysis.

Analysis of the empirical material led to the construction of the following categories: Dehospitalisation: viewpoint of the institution and Family organisation for the dehospitalisation process.

The study reveals a deficiency in the implementation, systematisation, internal reorganisation and continuity of care after dehospitalisation. Current dehospitalisation strategies do not favour comprehensiveness and continuity of home care.