Mapping primary health care renewal in South America.

Background: Primary health care (PHC) renewal processes are currently ongoing in South America (SA), but their characteristics have not been systematically described.

Objective: The study aimed to describe and contrast the PHC approaches being implemented in SA to provide knowledge of current conceptions, models and challenges.

Methods: This multiple case study used a qualitative approach with technical visits to health ministries in order to apply key-informant interviews of 129 PHC national policy makers and 53 local managers, as well as field observation of 57 selected PHC providers and document analysis, using a common matrix for data collection and analysis.

Continuing professional development of physicians in Uruguay: lessons from a countrywide experience.

This article describes the advancement of continuing professional development (CPD) for physicians in Uruguay and explains the motivations for a CPD system, the role of the faculty of medicine and the other stakeholders, the strategic goals, and current results, including strengths and weaknesses. The work described here had three strategic objectives: (1) initiate a CPD accreditation program, (2) train physician leaders in CPD, and (3) promote the creation of a national system for CPD. By the end of 2006, the accreditation program had 34 accredited institutions.

[Continuing medical professional development in Uruguay as the country faces the 21st century].

This paper outlines the evolution of the concept of continuing medical professional development in Uruguay, as that professional development has progressed from independent and varied efforts that were not coordinated or evaluated to a plan that is aimed at improving the quality of educational activities and programs and making them accessible to all the physicians in the country. In contrast to countries where scientific societies and medical associations preside over continuing professional development, in Uruguay the Graduate School of the School of Medicine of the University of the Republic has taken on managing and developing this process. The key objective of this process is for the Graduate School to work in conjunction with other leading players in professional development to create a national system of continuing medical professional development.