GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLIED TO PATIENT DISTRIBUTION FOR FAMILY HEALTH TEAMS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

摘要

Background: Family focused environment in Primary care is considered to be the future and help is required to implement new conceptualities. One theory consists in dividing patients accordingly to geographic clusters. Aim: To study and implement methodologies for distribution of patients of a health unit, and develop a tool to aid in this process. Methods: A health unit was selected to recollect and process bio-geographic data of patients. A manual division was executed and various methods were tested. An information system was developed in order to help divide and compare between manual and automatic. Results: The original data contained a significant percentage of errors (25%). This led to the cross validation of addresses. This process took months. Only after, various patient division techniques could be applied. One showed itself as having the most advantages. A robust GIS system was developed. Discussion: The analysis took a significant amount of time. The method of dividing the patients proved itself appropriate to this situation, and could probably be applied in many urban locations. The obtained GIS provided time saving and better data comprehension. Conclusion: Technologies in general and the system developed in particular can help patient allocation and represent a breakthrough in time-saving.