Read the Conversation
Conversation highlights:
- From fragmentation to coordination. CMH is evolving beyond hospital management to build a more coordinated and scalable model, aligning institutions while preserving autonomy.
- Chronic diseases at the center. Oncology and chronic conditions are the main clinical and economic drivers, pushing more structured, scalable care models.
- Research is a core pillar. Clinical research is becoming a defining capability, with CMH positioning its network to play a stronger, coordinated role.
- Traceability for efficiency and trust. Improving traceability enhances transparency, cost management, and system-wide decision-making.
- Strengthening the foundation first. CMH is focusing on internal alignment and scalability to enable future public and international collaborations.
EF: Could you take us through your professional journey and how you came to assume the leadership of CMH at this pivotal moment?
PR: I began my career in telecommunications and media, where I experienced firsthand how digital platforms transformed entire industries. That shift shaped my perspective: when fragmentation meets technology, scale and coordination become increasingly important.
I later transitioned into healthcare through hospital ownership, which led me to CMH as a board member. Following the passing of Javier Potes, we faced a critical moment, not only to ensure continuity, but to thoughtfully reassess the organization’s direction.
At that point, I was appointed by the Board as consejero delegado, entrusted with supporting the organization through this transition. As we aligned on a renewed strategic path, I was later formally appointed as Director General.
This process has been less about individual leadership and more about collective alignment around a long-term vision. More than managing hospitals, the opportunity is to help build a more coordinated and scalable healthcare model.
EF: Could you take us through your collaboration with AMIS and with AMIIF?
PR: Our collaboration with AMIS has helped us better understand the economic dynamics of healthcare. One of the clearest insights is that the main cost drivers are treatments, particularly oncology and chronic diseases, growing at around 10% annually. Cancer and chronic diseases are becoming the central challenge, both clinically and economically, for healthcare systems.
Based on this, we are working to support our hospitals in developing more structured and scalable approaches to these areas, always respecting the autonomy and diversity of each institution within the network. This also allows us to think in terms of scalable care models, rather than isolated services.
At the same time, our collaboration with AMIIF is opening opportunities in clinical and pharmaceutical research, where we believe our network can contribute in a more coordinated and meaningful way.
EF: Clinical research is on the international agenda. How are you positioning CMH within that ecosystem?
PR: We see research as an increasingly relevant capability for hospitals. Research will play a defining role in how healthcare systems evolve over the next decade. Mexico has a significant opportunity to strengthen its role in this space, and networks like CMH can contribute through their reach and infrastructure.
At the same time, we are working on improving traceability across medicines and medical devices, which remains a structural challenge in the system. Traceability is not only about compliance, but it also helps build transparency, trust, and better cost management.
By improving data consistency and visibility across our network, we aim to support safer and more efficient operations.
EF: Do you have any collaboration with the public sector, or a vision for PPP opportunities?
PR: For now, we are focused on strengthening our internal capabilities. Before expanding into broader collaborations, including with the public sector, it is important for us to ensure that our processes are consistent, transparent, and scalable. Our priority is to build a solid foundation with clear processes, traceability, and operational alignment. We believe this will allow us to contribute more effectively in the future, when the timing and conditions are appropriate.
EF: Could you illustrate the extent of your reach in terms of geography, population, and purchasing power?
PR: CMH brings together 50 hospitals across Mexico, representing a diverse and complementary network. One of the main areas we have been working on is reducing fragmentation, particularly in procurement processes. Moving toward more standardized and data-driven procurement has helped us improve coordination across the network.
By consolidating information, we are gradually strengthening our ability to generate efficiencies and better support our member hospitals. This is not only about efficiency, but it is also about creating the foundation for better decision-making across the network. This is an ongoing process, but it is already allowing us to think more as a network rather than as isolated institutions.
EF: Do your collaborations with Canada involve medical tourism? What is your vision for international expansion?
PR: Yes, international collaboration is an area we are exploring carefully. We see opportunities to both attract patients to Mexico and facilitate access to specialized treatments abroad when needed. Mexico has the potential to offer high-quality care in a timely and cost-effective way, which can be relevant in a global context.
At the same time, we are exploring ways to promote collaboration among medical professionals across borders, always within the appropriate regulatory frameworks.
EF: What is your broader vision for CMH in the coming years?
PR: Our vision is to continue evolving from a network of hospitals into a more coordinated platform. The objective is not to standardize hospitals, but to better align capabilities and generate shared value.
We are focusing on four key areas: operational efficiency, traceability, clinical prioritization in high-impact diseases, and gradual international integration. Together, these elements are helping us evolve toward a more integrated and scalable healthcare model. One that allows independent hospitals to remain autonomous while benefiting from coordination, shared capabilities, and better data.
More broadly, we are preparing to adapt to the structural changes that healthcare systems will face in the coming years, particularly those driven by demographics and rising costs.
If we can strengthen coordination, transparency, and collaboration, we believe we can make a meaningful contribution to the future of healthcare in Mexico.
