EDITORIAL EDITORIAL

The challenges of evaluation in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS)

Revista Ciência & Saúde Coletiva has dedicated publications to the theme of evaluation assessing mainly methodological approaches and alternative designs for evaluative research.

This edition seeks to contribute to the dissemination of research work carried out in order to foster debate on the problems faced by the SUS in the development of health management and thus provide more objective decision-making and effective alternatives in pursuing the principles of universality, comprehensiveness and equity.

The papers presented cover topics such as: the potential provided by the use of evaluation for decision-making with greater effectiveness; methodologies for creating a monitoring panel applicable to the management of the SUS; basic guidelines necessary for the evaluation of performance; analysis of the scope and limits of decentralized management; budgetary/financial evaluation methodologies; the identification of key steps for the planning and monitoring of municipal management and the conditions necessary for the evaluation of policy, and the creation of strategic agendas.

In addition to disseminating theoretical and experimental approaches attempted in the field of evaluation of health, this edition also reflects part of the effort made by members of the Abrasco Evaluation WG in order to foster the performance of evaluations at all levels of management. This work had the important and significant contribution of the Department for Strategic and Participative Management of the Ministry of Health in 2010, via the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation of Management of the SUS.

We are aware that despite our best efforts it was not possible to cover all the important aspects of management that would benefit from evaluation work. However, a careful reading of the articles will enable managers and researchers to identify important contributions that evaluation can offer to improve the management of services, systems and programs in the SUS.

Oswaldo Yoshimi Tanaka, Edson Tamaki, Eronildo Felisberto

Guest editors