Evaluation of the Unified Health System: a critique of the productivism ideology in contemporary capitalism

Abstract

The current phase of capitalism is marked by a crisis that deeply affects the economy in a global  perspective. The solutions chosen to mitigate their  effects involve the adoption, by austere policies, of  strong reductions in public spending, especially in the  spending related to social policies, impacting health  and, consequently, the health evaluation process.  Immersed in this phase of crisis of capitalism with a  predominance of financial capital, health evaluation  tends to be permeated by utilitarian logic, reflecting  the ideology of productivism, being is ruled by market laws, where the health of a population is measured by means of the consumption of services and  medical-hospital products, which does not necessarily mean  an improvement in the health conditions of that  population. In that scenario, the construction of a  critique of the productivist process has become  essential. In order to do so, we are in dialogue with  the critical literature, through a Marxist interpretation  of the current process, in order to rethink the health  evaluation policy within the Unified Health System  (SUS). We believe that health evaluation should be a  social practice, not just complying with rules and  standards, but being a tool for consolidating  democracy, affirming rights and empowering citizens.