A reformulation plan of the outpatient clinics provided by the National Institute of Social Welfare to its associates and their dependents in the city of S. Paulo, was presented. The importance of such study is stressed by the small amount of available hospital beds. In the first part of the plan an appraisal of the existing situation have been made, considering three aspects of the problem: amount of personnel, size of the available units and their location related to the urban area. The result of their study showed deficiency in all existing outpatient clinics, as far as the three aspects are concerned. Based on this data a plan for the reformulation of the outpatient clinic division was made, considering an average of 4,500,000 as the total amount of persons using the Institute facilities in the city of S. Paulo. This plan is based in four fundamental points: 1. Provision of adequate physical space for the new units to be built, and determination of those to be maintained, considering the local necessities within the city. 2. Adequate location of the new units. 3. Implantation of new peripheral units, as a result of the integration of units of the State Public Health Department. 4. Definition of a proper hospital facilities backing. The total number of patient to be treated by the so stablished outpatient clinic division will be around 5,000,000 by year.
Outpatient clinics; Social welfare; São Paulo, Brazil; Community assistance
