Resumo

ARREGHINI, Mariana Beatriz  e  SALDENA LETICIA, Raquel Jimena. THE CARE OF CHRONIC PATIENTS: THE CHALLENGE OF THE NEW CENTURY. Rev. Méd.-Cient. Luz Vida [online]. 2011, vol.2, n.1, pp. 10-14. ISSN 2219-8032.

Background: The chronic disease in children has been increasing. The health care practices for acute diseases have become inefficient and ineffective for assistance of chronic diseases. General Objective: To assess whether Home Care Program Children's Hospital Dr. Humberto Notti of the province of Mendoza, Argentina, it fits the model of patient-centered care proposed by the WHO for assistance to chronic patients. Specific Objectives: To Analyze the current manual of functions of the program and to identify ethical fundaments in the proposed Home Care Program and to compare the ethical basis of WHO's patient-centered care. Methods: A Qualitative study was conducted: It contents an analy-sis of the operating manual of the home care program and clas-sification of content using ethical foundations as units of analysis (Quality of Care, Health, Responsibility, Human Dignity and Jus-tice). Based on the results it was assessed if it fits the model of patient-centered care proposed by the WHO. Conclusion: The Home Care Program Children's Hospital Dr. Humberto Notti is a model of patient-centered care that promotes the empowerment of health, meets the quality standards of care, and considers health as a fundamental value of respect for the dignity of the sick patient and his family. Each involved is responsible in a fair way and lowering costs of care for chronic patients.

Palavras-chave : Chronic illness; Home care; Patient-centered care.