The Public Emergency Care Network of the Metropolitan Region (Chile): The hospital Units of higher complexity

Abstract

The Emergency Rooms of the higher complexity hospitals throughout the country, and mainly those at the Metropolitan Region, have to face in a permanent way an over demand of medical consultations, the vast proportion of them of low or medium severity, that should be seen at the primary level of health care. This demand is increased in certain hours, days or periods over the year, producing severe crisis and almost the collapse of these services, with public alarm and media commotion. The study aims to identify the eventual deficits in infrastructure, technology or key health staff, by using indicators elaborated and proposed by the Ministry of Health itself, which could explain the above mentioned situation. This study is the first phase of a more systemic approach, that will include in future steps the other com- ponents of the Emergency Health Care System.