IMSS-Bienestar Expands to Hidalgo

Hidalgo is working to join the IMSS-Bienestar program, a process that first involved a census to evaluate the state’s medical devices, infrastructure and human, financial and material resources. Through the census, IMSS identified a deficit of over 4,000 health professionals and the need for 8,000 medical devices. 

“We appreciate the trust of Governor [Julio] Menchaca who is relying on us to add this state to the federalization [of health services],” says Zoé Robledo, Director General, IMSS. 

The evaluation found multiple areas to improve, such as the lack of quality standards for the water used in hospitals. IMSS concluded that 65 improvement actions are needed in the state. “We are facing the challenge of meeting the most felt needs of the population, working for a quality service and warmth where each region can have access and decent health coverage,” tweeted Julio Menchaca, Governor of Hidalgo. 

Today, Robledo discussed the scarcity of health professionals, a problem that must be addressed to expand the federalization of healthcare. This year, the National Examination of Applicants for Medical Residencies (ENARM) opened 9,040 vacancies and 5,600 IMSS graduates participated. Unlike in previous processes, IMSS-Bienestar vacancies were also offered. 

This process led to the recruitment of 634 health professionals by IMSS-Bienestar. Most of them are specialized in family medicine, anesthesiology and gynecology, among other areas. IMSS-Bienestar also hired family doctors, unlike Seguro Popular which placed general practitioners in charge of providing first-level care.

In total, 4,712 doctors have been recruited in recent months and of these, 610 doctors come from the Cuban specialist medical program. Robledo also announced that the number of Cuban doctors will double. IMSS will also launch a program to hire retired doctors worked for Seguro Popular. These doctors will continue to receive their pension while they work for IMSS-Bienestar.

IMSS-Bienestar aims to offer social security to those who are not affiliated to other public institutions, such as IMSS, ISSSTE or ISSFAM. The move is part of a larger effort to bring access to health services to the majority of the Mexican population to guarantee the country’s right to healthcare stated in the reform to Art. 4 of the Constitution, as reported by MBN. Through this collaboration, health services will be federalized and will be better suited to assist vulnerable groups, such as indigenous communities.