On July 26, 2024, BIREME (Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information) and Brazil’s Ministry of Health officially set up the Directing Committee for two important technical cooperation projects: the Update of the Second Formative Opinion Program (SOF) and the development of Decision Aids as a tool to support decision-making in the context of Person-Centered Care (PCC). The meeting was held by videoconference and was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Health (MoH), BIREME and PAHO/WHO Brazil.
According to librarian Juliana Sousa, supervisor of Digital Solutions Development and Emerging Technologies and focal point for both projects at BIREME, “the Directing Committee is responsible for guiding the coordination of our developments. It also ensures that the actions developed are aligned with health strategies and needs, supporting the decision-making process and validating important steps towards achieving the established objectives, in order to ensure that the projects move forward in accordance with the defined priorities”.
The projects are part of Technical Cooperation Term (TC) 157, “Strengthening and qualifying the use of health information and digital transformation in the Unified Health System (SUS)”, 1st Adjustment Term (AT), led by the Digital Health and Information Secretariat (SEIDIGI) of Brazil’s Ministry of Health’s, and aim to improve clinical practice and decision-making in health, both by professionals and by users of the health system and services. SOF is developed in partnership with the Department of Digital Health and Innovation (DESD/SEIDIGI/MS), and Decision Aids with the Department of Monitoring, Evaluation and Dissemination of Strategic Health Information (DEMAS/SEIDIGI/MS).
Formalization of the Committee and its functions
“Setting up the Steering Committee is a fundamental stage in ensuring project governance, establishing strategic guidelines for the development and validation of deliverables,” explains Juliana Sousa. “The committee’s role is to guide the development of projects, approve significant changes and resolve high-level issues that may impact their progress,” she said.
This Directing Committee, which includes representatives from BIREME, DESD/SEIDIGI and DEMAS/SEIDIGI, as well as representatives from PAHO/WHO Brazil, will be responsible for ensuring that SOF updates and the development of Decision Aids are aligned with SUS’s strategic digital transformation objectives. Check out the full list of members.
Members of the Steering Committee for the Decision Aids project and the Update of the Second Opinion Program (2024)
- Socorro Gross – PAHO/WHO Brazil;
- Juan Cortez Escalante – PAHO/WHO Brazil;
- João Paulo Souza – BIREME/PAHO;
- Juliana Sousa – BIREME/PAHO;
- Ana Estela Haddad – Secretariat for Information and Digital Health (SEIDIGI), Ministry of Health;
- Cleinaldo de Almeida Costa – Director of the Department of Digital Health and Innovation (DESD), Ministry of Health;
- Paulo Sellera – Director of the Department of Monitoring, Evaluation and Dissemination of Strategic Health Information (DEMAS), Ministry of Health;
- Patrícia Maluf Cury – Coordinator of the Technical-Scientific Committee for the SOF project;
- Tiago Bahia Fontana and Marinho Uriate – Coordinators of the Technical-Scientific Committee for the Decision Aids project;
- Rodrigo Amaral (DESD) – Administrative support; and
- Joaquim Paiva (CGPROJ) – Administrative support.
The update of the Second Formative Opinion (SOF) Program aims to modernize the existing platform, which already provides questions and answers based on scientific evidence to support Primary Health Care (PHC) professionals in Brazil. “This is an information product that really gets to the point of care within the SUS network,” stated João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME. The new SOF version will bring advanced technological innovations, such as the incorporation of artificial intelligence and other digital tools, which will facilitate access to up-to-date content, offering precise and quick answers to the daily challenges faced by professionals in the Unified Health System (SUS). This evolution will not only improve decision-making capacity but will also expand the coverage and quality of the guidance provided by SOF, strengthening the Telehealth network and continuing education for professionals. “The format revision aims to facilitate continuous updating and allow the Brazilian experience to serve as a model and be exported to other countries,” pointed out the Director.
On the other hand, the Decision Aids project seeks to develop an innovative tool to support shared decision-making, promoting the concept of person-centered care. This initiative aims to transform the way health decisions are made, encouraging greater collaboration between health professionals and users. Decision Aids will be integrated into the “My Digital SUS” portal, allowing both professionals and community users to make informed decisions together, based on the best available evidence.
The project also includes the creation of interactive and easily accessible digital versions, which will be incorporated into other digital decision-support platforms, ensuring greater coverage and impact on the day-to-day running of public health. For Ana Estela Haddad, Digital Health Secretary at the Ministry of Health, “these are two very important projects for SEIDIGI, especially the SOF, which is already important, and which with this update will gain new impetus, especially when inserted into the Professional Digital SUS. Decision Aids will also have a major impact on ‘My Digital SUS’, promoting person-centered care,” she stated.
Technical-Scientific Committee to be set up soon
Besides the Directing Committee, the Scientific Committee for the same projects will also be set up. This will be made up of a multidisciplinary team of specialists representing BIREME, the Ministry of Health, PAHO Brazil and other institutions. The Scientific Committee, which will play an essential role in the technical development of the new products, will be responsible for providing technical guidance, ensuring that decisions are based on best practices and the latest scientific evidence. “We are closely monitoring these projects as part of the digital transformation. They have potential not only in Brazil but can be adapted and taken to other countries in the Americas region, strengthening their digital health capacities,” pointed out Juan Cortez Escalante, from PAHO Brazil.
Next steps
With the formalization of the Steering Committee and the planning of the formation of the Scientific Committee, these new BIREME projects enter an operational phase of development, focused on the planned implementations.
“The expectation is that these governance bodies will help to achieve the established goals, offering solutions that improve both the quality of health care and the user experience,” concludes Juliana Sousa. Regular meetings are planned to discuss progress and make any necessary adjustments. The next important milestone will be to hold the first workshop to discuss technical and administrative requirements, to be held at the end of 2024.
These initiatives represent a decisive step in the digital transformation of the SUS, in line with the strategic priorities of the Ministry of Health and PAHO to strengthen decision-making capacity in Brazilian public health.