Background: In spite of the high number of tools designed to measure the complexity of care, there is still great diversity in the meaning of this concept.
Methods: The study was carried out using the concept analysis method as described by Beth Rodgers; 27 international papers were selected using PubMed, Web of Science and CINAHL data sets, without any time constraints.
Results: A number of similar concepts relating to multiplicity, intensity of care and workload were selected. The antecedents were classified according to personal and clinical features of patients, the characteristics of care, the social and organizational features; the tools that emerged measure the risk of complexity of care. Among the consequences, those that emerged were related to patients, operators and organization. The two attributes of complexity of care are connected with measurement, on the one side, and uncertainly, on the other.
Conclusions: As difficult as it is to define complexity of care, the analysis states that its classification should be targeted at redefining hospital organization.