Resumen

SANSO SOBERATS, Félix José. Twenty years of the Cuban model of family medicine. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2005, vol.31, n.2. ISSN 0864-3466.

The present paper deals with the history of Cuban family medicine since its very beginning in 1984. The first part presents the general characteristics of this medical care model and the advantages of the introduction and development of this model in the health care system for all the Cubans. Likewise, it also gives the author's opinion on the three factors that he considered as influential in the deterioration of this medical care model, that is, the economic crisis and its impact on the moral values of the society and of the health professionals as well, the fact that the reproduction of the model at national level did not reach the expected result similar to that achieved at "laboratory scale" and the inability of the Cuban health care system to adapt to necessary changes. It also sets forth the different periods of the Cuban family medicine during 20 years that was divided into four stages: political and implementation phase, Stagnation phase, methodological improvement phase and "Revolution" project phase. Finally, there are some reflections on the ways of facing unsolved questions that may jeopardize the future, making emphasis on the fact that the institutions are not the only essential components of a system. The paper particularly suggests concrete actions that should be carried out at the individual, system and social levels so as to improve the Cuban public health care in every aspect and to also contribute to the betterment of the society

Palabras clave : PRIMARY HEALTH CARE; CARE MODEL; FAMILY MEDICINE; FAMILY PHYSICIANS.