OBJECTIVES: Delivery of high quality healthcare has been associated with improved health outcomes and higher institutional performance. The Association of Self-funded Health Plans in Paraná (Brazil) has implemented the “Evaluation Program of Health Services” (UNIPLUS Program) since 1999 as a way to measure the quality of healthcare delivery for inpatients. Our objective was to analyze the performance of 25 Brazilian health institutions (BHI) located in the southern region of the country in the UNIPLUS Program between 2013 and 2015.

METHODS: We used a semi-structured form with distinct questions related to: a) BHI classification; b) operational/functional structure of BHI; c) human and material resources of BHI; d) BHI compliance with the UNIPLUS Program indicators; and e) self-sufficiency classification of BHI.

RESULTS: BHI were classified into three categories: (i) high complexity hospitals – HCH (48%), (ii) general hospitals - GH (40%) and (iii) general healthcare delivery (non-hospital) - GHD (12%). Among the HCHs, 16.7% and 8.3% have no coronary Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hemodialysis service, respectively. Among the GHs, 10% and 40% do not have an emergency room and general ICU, respectively. Among GHDs, 66.7% do not have a collective inpatient unit. The greatest shortcomings of BHIs are in human and material resources and in indicator compliance so that the indicators 'access', 'equity' and 'patient centrality' presented results below 8%. Finally, because of these results, only 44%, 12% and 12% of BHIs classified as HCH, GH and GHD, respectively, were measured as high quality healthcare BHI.

CONCLUSIONS: The quality measurement achieved by the UNIPLUS Program is effective and shows that BHIs need to increase the quality of health services they provide to Brazilian people. Since it was first implemented in 1999, the UNIPLUS Program has undergone by two certification processes to improve its methodology. Attributes related to patient safety need to be included in future editions.