Introduction:

In Brazil, experts in primary health care were included as a resource to increase cases resolution and the scope of actions.

Objective:

To analyze the contributions of the groups for family health´s support in expanding the response capacity of primary health care.

Methods:

Multiple cases study with a qualitative approach carried out in six municipalities in Bahia state, Brazil. It was used an analytics matrix developed from primary care attributes like: access, care longitudinality, coordination of care and guidance for the community. The data were obtained by means of semi-structured interviews with 83 primary health care professionals and field observations. The data were organized and categorized according to the technique of thematic analysis.

Results:

The support groups did not contributed much to expand the cases resolution. The access to the professional experts´ services was limited and the groups rarely offered continuous attention. Performance in the coordination of care was also unsatisfactory. It was shown incipient reduction of demand for the other levels and fragile interaction with the care network. The community-oriented performance occurred partially.

Conclusions:

The work of the support groups shows little contextualization with the attributes of primary care, hence the need to overcome structural and organizational obstacles that involve the work of the new professionals in this basic level of the health system.

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