ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Digit. Health
Sec. Health Informatics
Technological architecture for a multi-region solution within the regulation of Brazil's Unified Health System
Pablo Holanda Cardoso 1
Tiago de Olivera Barreto 2
Janaína Valentim 2,3,4
Karilany Dantas Coutinho 5,6
João Paulo Queiroz dos Santos 2
Antonio Higor Freire de Morais 2
Nícolas Vinícius Rodrigues Veras 2
Aldo Eduardo de Almeida Portela 7
Juliano Silva Melo 7
Célio da Costa Barros 8
Andréa Santos Pinheiro 2
Monise Barros Dantas 2
Jordana Crislayne de Lima Paiva 2
José Arilton Pereira Filho 2
Raul Silva de Almeida 2
Walkyso dos Santos Júnior 2
Arthur Meireles da Silva 2
Elionai Augusto Silva de Melo 2
Douglas Lemos Inácio da Silva 2
João Victor Medeiros Crisostomo 2
Sandra Rubina Freitas Cardoso dos Santos 9
Claudia Maria Fileno Miranda Veloso 10
Guilherme Medeiros Machado 11
Ricardo Alexsandro de Medeiros Valentim 5,6
1. 3S Saúde, Natal, Brazil
2. Advanced Nucleus of Technological Innovation (NAVI), Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), Natal, Brazil
3. Center for Global Studies, Open University of Portugal (CEG-UAb), Lisboa, Portugal
4. Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health (LAIS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN),, Natal, Brazil
5. Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health (LAIS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil
6. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Postgraduate Program in Health Management and Innovation, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil
7. Secretary of Public Health of Mato Grosso (SES/MT), Cuiabá, Brazil
8. Federal Court of Accounts, Fortaleza, Brazil
9. ISCTE-Instituto Universitario de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
10. University of Aveiro, Center for Global Studies (ESTGA), Research Unit in Governance, Competitiveness and Public Polices (GOVCOPP), Aveiro, Portugal
11. LyRIDS, ECE-Engineering School, Paris, France
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Abstract
This article presents the design and implementation of a digital health technology architecture focused on healthcare regulation in Brazil's National Health System (SUS). The objective was to develop an architectural model capable of optimizing resource allocation, increasing transparency, and integrating health information from different levels of care, with a focus on reducing inequalities Cardoso et al. in access. Methodologically, a transdisciplinary applied research approach based on action research was adopted, with iterative development cycles in accordance with agile methodologies. The architecture was implemented in the states of Rio Grande do Norte, Espírito Santo, and Mato Grosso, respecting regional specificities and integrating international interoperability standards, as well as architectural principles and software engineering. The results point to flexibility, interoperability, real-time monitoring, queue management, and transparency, including direct access for control bodies and process auditability. It can be concluded that the proposed architecture represents a significant advance for equity in access and could serve as a basis for solutions on a national and international scale. Keywords: Technological Architecture, Regulation, Brazilian Unified Health System, Health systems, Transparency in healthcare
Summary
Keywords
Brazilian Unified Health System, Health Systems, regulation, Technological architecture, Transparency in healthcare
Received
09 December 2025
Accepted
27 January 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Cardoso, Barreto, Valentim, Coutinho, dos Santos, Morais, Veras, Portela, Melo, Barros, Pinheiro, Dantas, Paiva, Filho, Almeida, Júnior, Silva, Melo, Silva, Crisostomo, dos Santos, Veloso, Machado and Valentim. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Tiago de Olivera Barreto
Disclaimer
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