O impacto da COVID-19 na gestão de operações de unidades de saúde: um estudo qualitativo

The public health emergency caused by the SARS-CoV- 2 virus, and the classification by the World Health Organization of the disease COVID-19 as a pandemic, forced a rapid reorganization in the field of Operations in Healthcare Units and the adoption of containment and mitigation measures during the exponential progress of the disease, such as restrictions in the access to health care services, the management of material and human resources and in the way in which health care was provided. Quantitative data reports are a tool that help measuring the impact of the pandemic situation on Operations Management. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on Operations Management, using a qualitative analysis of data collected through twenty one (21) semi-structured written interviews with health professionals, representing healthcare units such as family health centers, hospitals from the public and private sector. It was possible to confirm the profound impact of COVID-19 on the Operations Management of healthcare units, especially in terms of patient’s access to health care and the availability of human resources, where the worsening in the work load was felt significantly. The study provides valuable insights into the perspectives of frontline healthcare professionals and the challenges faced during the pandemic, and provides research opportunities for improvements in responding to similar public health emergencies.