Background on Eduardo Clark and His Role
Eduardo Clark, the Undersecretary of Health in Mexico, recently participated as a guest speaker at the 10th Innovation Week hosted by the Mexican Association of Pharmaceutical Research Industries (AMIIF). His presence at this event, which brings together public and private sector leaders to discuss topics such as public-private partnerships, regulatory improvements, sustainable supply chain policies, and technology in healthcare, highlights his significance in shaping Mexico’s healthcare landscape.
Key Focus Areas: Supply Chain and Digitalization
Clark emphasized two primary macroprocesses that the Secretaría de Salud aims to improve:
- Enhancing Supply Chain and Access to Essential Insumos: The goal is to optimize the procurement, distribution, and dispensing of essential medical supplies for patients, ultimately improving their quality of life.
- Digitalizing Healthcare Systems: This involves modernizing consultation, referral, hospitalization processes, and ensuring that patient data becomes their property.
Current Challenges and Solutions
Clark acknowledged that the healthcare system has grown haphazardly over nearly a century, with significant disorganization in the last 25 years. He mentioned that various parts of the healthcare chain—such as Cofepris, Birmex, and different company processes—lack communication, leading to inefficient operations.
To address these issues, Clark outlined the following strategies:
- Formalizing Processes Sectorally and Integratedly: The Secretaría de Salud aims to establish well-defined processes and subsequently implement digital tools, where applicable, to streamline operations.
- Prioritizing Sustainable Supply Chain Policies: The focus is on improving the acquisition, distribution, and dispensing of essential medical supplies for patients.
- Digitalizing Healthcare Systems: This includes modernizing consultation, referral, hospitalization processes and ensuring that patient data is accessible to them.
Key Questions and Answers
- What are the main challenges in Mexico’s healthcare system? The system has grown disorganized, with poor communication between different parts of the healthcare chain. Key issues include inefficient supply chains and a lack of digital integration.
- What are the primary goals for improving Mexico’s healthcare system? The main objectives are to enhance supply chain efficiency and patient access to essential medical supplies, as well as digitalize healthcare systems for better consultation, referral, hospitalization processes, and patient data management.
- How is the Mexican government addressing supply chain issues? The Secretaría de Salud aims to formalize processes and implement digital tools, focusing on improving supply chain efficiency and patient access to essential medical supplies.
- What is the target for medication availability in Mexico’s healthcare system? The goal is to achieve at least 95% availability of prescribed medications, though acknowledging that the remaining 5% remains unacceptable and requires significant improvement.
Additional Context on Supply Chain and Digitalization Efforts
Clark highlighted that Mexico currently spends nearly 4.9 billion pesos on medications, with half of the costs associated with 500 high-cost, patented, and single-source keys. These critical medications often save lives, but the government aims to transition towards more affordable technologies as they become available.
To achieve a sustainable healthcare system, Clark emphasized the need to modify purchasing patterns towards more affordable technologies and acknowledged the importance of a vibrant innovation ecosystem to address sectoral debts and improve outcomes while optimizing spending.
Regarding consolidated purchases, Clark suggested migrating to a model where a Mexican government institution—likely Birmex—would be responsible for both the consolidation process and providing dispensing services to healthcare institutions. This approach would simplify procurement processes, reduce errors, and expedite medication distribution.
Clark also addressed supply shortages, stating that significant progress has been made in recovering essential medications. He mentioned that the IMSS Bienestar had received double the pieces in June compared to May, with plans to ensure more than 3,000 medication types are available by the end of the month.
Furthermore, Clark discussed commitments to children with cancer, emphasizing the issuance of supply orders for 179 additional oncology medications to IMSS Bienestar for July delivery. He also mentioned plans to regularize IMSS Bienestar warehouse ownership and optimize the Huehuetoca distribution center’s role in receiving and distributing essential supplies.
