Mexico to Build High-Specialty Diagnostic Center to Improve Care

Mexico’s Ministry of Health has begun the construction of a High-Specialty Diagnostic Center, which aims to strengthen advanced medical care and accelerate the timely diagnosis of complex diseases, says David Kershenobich, Mexico’s Minister of Health.

Speaking during the morning briefing led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, Kershenobich said the new center will primarily serve the National Institutes of Health located in the southern part of Mexico City, particularly in the Tlalpan area. These institutes treat patients who require highly specialized imaging studies, including magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, which play a central role in clinical decision-making.

Kershenobich says the facility will allow diagnostic studies to be carried out earlier, supporting timely therapeutic decisions and improving patient safety and quality of care. The project is part of a broader strategy to optimize resources, reduce waiting times, and improve coordination among high-specialty health institutions.

The High-Specialty Imaging Center will be equipped with five magnetic resonance imaging units with the capacity to perform up to 100 studies per day. It will also include three PET-CT scanners, enabling up to 90 PET studies daily. Together, the center is expected to reach an operational capacity of up to 190 diagnostic studies per day.

According to the Ministry of Health, the center has been designed to streamline each stage of the diagnostic process, reducing delays between studies. The layout includes 20 patient preparation rooms, a nursing station, control rooms, diagnostic interpretation areas, and spaces specifically designed to ensure radiological protection for patients and health personnel. This organization is intended to allow continuous operation and more efficient use of high-specialty technology.

The building will cover 3,565m2 and will be built on a single level. It will include specialized infrastructure to meet safety standards, with preparation areas, examination and control rooms, diagnostic interpretation spaces, known as “blue rooms,” and a radiology teleconsultation area. Through this system, diagnostic images can be transmitted from anywhere in the country to the center, positioning it as a national reference point for specialized imaging services.

In addition to providing clinical services, the center will function as a training and education hub for high-specialty radiology. It is expected to support the development of medical, technical, and nursing staff, as well as the continuous training of specialists in the use of advanced diagnostic technologies. This is relevant as healthcare and life sciences employers are among the sectors most affected by labor scarcity, with the World Health Organization (WHO) warning of a potential global shortfall of 11 million healthcare workers by 2030, reports MBN.

The facility will be located next to the National Institute of Genomic Medicine, on land close to several other health institutions. This location is intended to facilitate patient transfers between the institutes and the diagnostic center, helping to ease congestion within the National Institutes of Health.

Health authorities say the project is expected to reduce institutional saturation, improve patient mobility, and strengthen the training of specialized human resources, contributing to a more efficient and patient-centered model of high-specialty care.