In developing countries blindness prevalence could be reduced if access to ophthalmic assistance for the population were not impaired by the lack of organization of the resources. Besides the primary level, organization of ocular care establishes secondary and tertiary care levels, according to the complexity of the diagnosis and treatment of the ocular diseases. The Ophthalmic Secondary Reference Center (CERESO) of the Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of São Paulo, according to an internal flow model of assistance, selects cases of low complexity to be seen on the same day, the others being referred to the tertiary level. PURPOSE: To evaluate CERESO's resolution and its user's satisfaction. METHODS: By means of applying a questionnaire based on the resolution of the main complaint and for the client's satisfaction, a sample of 238 users was interviewed from February to July, 1998. RESULTS: CERESO's resolution degree was 85.96%; the user's satisfaction was 100%; 6.8% of the users chose CERESO because it was close to their homes; 21.3% because they could be seen on the same day; 13.9% because they were already UNIFESP patients and 58.1% because they like UNIFESP or were indicated by another patient. CONCLUSIONS: The customers were very pleased with the assistance they were given, and their major aims were achieved. The organization of the ophthalmological services, with the secondary care service establishment, would certainly have a positive impact on the solution of ophthalmic problems - especially refractive errors. For this reason, this organization would case an important public health problem.
Blindness; Health care levels; School health; Outcome and process assessment (health care); Health care quality assurance; Patient satisfaction; Health services; Delivery of health care
