This study examines the work process of a Family Health Unity (USF) in a small municipality, inland the state of Rio de Janeiro. We would like to start with the question of what is causing the population registered in a family health program to look for the Emergency Service (SE) of a General Hospital. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with doctors who worked on duty and users in the Emergency Service and group interviews with users of a Family Health Unit and its staff. In addition, information was also collected by participant observation. The theoretical fields of Health Management and Psycho-sociology were the grounds of this research. It was concluded that the "modus operandi" of the USF, the geographical and organizational accessibility, and the technological apparatus of the SE ended up leading the population to seek the General Hospital emergency service of the municipality mentioned in this study in acute situations of suffering and distress.
Family health; Production of care; Work process in health; Emergency service