Read the Conversation
Conversation highlights:
- The next five years should focus on how the public and private sectors work together to solve healthcare gaps across Mexico.
- Moving toward a unified healthcare system is the right direction, but execution needs to be completely rethought.
- During the pandemic, public-private collaboration successfully moved patients between sectors and should be the model going forward.
- Local Mexican businessmen are making significant healthcare investments, from pharmaceuticals to hospital expansion.
- Primary care improvement requires better physician training and guaranteed access to pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
- The population must understand the risks of inadequate healthcare both individually and systemically.
EF: Looking ahead to the next five years, what should be the priority for Mexico's healthcare system?
HVM: The priority should be working together much more effectively and getting benefits and support from both sides. The government needs to concentrate on regulatory, legal, and supporting functions to make things happen. They also need to be very straightforward about what they can't do and ask for private support. The private sector must be very conscious about pricing and how to deliver while working together with the government. If we want to solve the healthcare gaps we're seeing across Mexico and across all of healthcare, we should concentrate in the next five years on how we work together with one objective: our population and making sure they have healthcare properly delivered.
EF: What has worked well in Mexico's healthcare system over the past decade?
HVM: I'm personally in favor of trying to consolidate the system to make it more efficient. The willingness to move into one healthcare system is correct. The concept of going in that direction is right, but execution is critical. We should rethink how we execute to make it happen, but we are going in the right direction. We're seeing good things happening in some states, so there's a question mark about how it's being done. But the concept would be good. IMSS is a good example of good things happening over the last 10 years in terms of predictability. IMSS has been paying constantly and has been working together with physicians with the population, trying to improve access.
EF: What are the main challenges that need to be addressed?
HVM: Over the past decade, the digital system and electronic medical records have faced significant challenges, and areas such as access and life expectancy show us that there is still important room for improvement. These issues clearly highlight where we can make meaningful progress: strengthening primary care, ensuring appropriate access to pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and enhancing the training of primary care physicians so they are better prepared. We also have an opportunity to work more closely with the population, helping people better understand the importance of strong healthcare, both for themselves and for the health system.
EF: Can you point to any successful examples of public-private collaboration?
HVM: During the pandemic, working together in the public and private sectors to support the population was a good thing. Moving patients from public to private institutions based on that collaboration showed what we can achieve. We should consolidate that good relationship for the next five years. This demonstrates how we can work all together effectively when we have a common goal.
EF: What role is the private sector playing in Mexico's healthcare development?
HVM: It's very nice to see the commitment of local businessmen in investing in healthcare. We have significant examples in pharmaceuticals and in the hospital arena. Local Mexican business healthcare groups are making substantial commitments and investments. This private sector engagement represents an important development for the country's healthcare infrastructure.
