Challenges in Mexican Healthcare: Digitalizing the System

Mexico has made significant efforts to ensure access to healthcare services for its entire population. Despite the progress that has been made, the Mexican healthcare system faces significant challenges, such as inequality, insufficient resources, and persistent public health issues.

There are four major themes in which those attempts to improve the problems of the health system in the country could be grouped: strengthening primary care, reducing inequalities, promoting healthy lifestyles, and modernizing and improving infrastructure and equipment. It is the latter point where I would like to delve deeper. To advance the modernization and digitalization of the healthcare system in Mexico, it is crucial to update and expand its infrastructure and processes — both medical and technological — to provide more efficient, optimal, and transparent care focused on the population's needs.

In addition to the above, it is of great importance to take on these challenges, which will allow us to optimize healthcare management in the country. In this context, there are three aspects that should be worked on: universal user identification, interoperability among system actors, and omnichannel communication between patients and healthcare centers.

Regarding the implementation of universal user identification in the Mexican healthcare system, this involves assigning a unique identifier to each individual who accesses medical services. This can be achieved through the creation of a national identification system or by using the CURP (Unique Population Registry Code) that is already active in Mexico. The aim is to centralize and link each patient's medical records, facilitating access to their complete medical history at any healthcare institution.

The advantages of this proposal are numerous. For example, healthcare professionals would have access to complete and updated information about patients, improving the quality and safety of medical care. Likewise, it could avoid the creation of multiple records for the same patient, reducing errors and confusion in the continuity of care. Finally, it would enable more precise monitoring of the population's health, facilitating the identification of epidemiological patterns and informed decision-making in public health policies.

The second aspect discussed is interoperability, which refers to the ability of different and multiple computer systems and applications used in the healthcare system to exchange and use data efficiently and effectively. In Mexico, many healthcare services are provided by various institutions and entities, such as the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), the Institute of Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE), and the Seguro Popular, among others. Interoperability between these institutions would allow sharing relevant medical information, streamlining processes, and improving coordination of care.

The benefits of interoperability are clear and significant. On the one hand, timely access to information would allow healthcare professionals to quickly access relevant medical data about patients, regardless of the institution where they were previously treated. On the other hand, coordination would be improved, as communication between different actors in the healthcare system would be facilitated, resulting in more comprehensive and efficient patient care. Finally, there would be a reduction in costs and time, as avoiding duplication of unnecessary tests and procedures would lower costs and expedite the medical care process.

The last challenge is omnichannel communication; that is, using multiple channels simultaneously for effective patient-healthcare center communication. One example is the case of medical appointment confirmations. At Keirón, during the first half of this year, 20%* public hospitals contacted over 345,000 patients to confirm and remind them of their medical appointments through omnichannel and bidirectional communication, including various channels, such as applications, WhatsApp, SMS, robotized calls, Facebook Messenger, and other online platforms. Thanks to this system, one hospital achieved a 95% increase in appointment confirmation responses and an average patient attendance rate of 76%.

Through this solution, it is possible to use various contact methods to communicate easily, efficiently, and reach patients of any age, allowing for mass data validation, increased operational efficiency, and online tracking. It also reduces patient absenteeism from medical appointments. It is worth noting that it is estimated that between 20% to 30% of patients do not show up for their scheduled appointments. This is detrimental to both patients, who miss the opportunity to receive proper treatment, and hospitals, which do not receive state resources for each patient treated, resulting in lost income.

In summary, the digitalization of the healthcare system in Mexico, with universal user identification, increased interoperability, and improved omnichannel communication, represents an opportunity to improve the quality of medical care, strengthen public-private health, and optimize resource management in the sector. However, the successful implementation of these strategies will require collaboration between institutions, investment in technological infrastructure, and adequate training of healthcare personnel to ensure their proper functioning.


* 20% of Public Hospitals in Chile