The Unified Health System, known as "Sistema Único de Saúde" (SUS), is a universal health insurance established by the Brazilian 1988 Constitution. It is the only public health care system in the world which offers insurance for more than 190 million people[^1].
Among its programs is the "High Cost Pharmacies," a service providing specialized medications for a wide range of chronic diseases. This service is utilized even by patients with private health insurance, as many of the substances provided are not covered by private policies.
As of October 2023, the Brazilian minimum wage is R$ 1,320 (~ € 250). Thus, commonly used medications for prevalent conditions like Diabetes or Dyslipidemia can consume over 15% of a person's monthly income, rendering the treatment unaffordable without this assistance. Moreover, the program is also responsible for the dispensation of immunobiologics, oncological treatments, and drugs for rare diseases, which can cost thousands of euros per month.
A nationwide directive regulates prescription dispensing, requiring the following printed documents:
For each medication:
Conditional documents, depending on the diagnosis, may include:
AutoCusto, a Portuguese pun combining "Alto" (High) and "Auto" (Automatic), was conceived to address these issues. It aims to minimize mistakes, rework, and patient inconvenience. A doctor's primary focus should be patient care, not navigating through unnecessary bureaucracy. I have personally utilized the alpha-version for the past three years with over 400 unique patients.