Introduction
“The future is here… it’s just not evenly distributed.” – William Gibson.
When discussing healthcare digitalization, it’s not about following technological trends but recognizing its potential as a powerful tool to close the historical gap in accessible healthcare rights in Mexico.
The Current State of Healthcare in Mexico
For years, our healthcare system has been marked by fragmentation: paper files, non-transferable patient information, concentration of specialists in large cities, and millions forced to travel long distances for basic care.
Digital health – telemedicine, teleconsultation, electronic prescriptions, interoperable clinical records – are not luxuries; they’re concrete responses to this reality.
Legislative Advancements
From a legislative perspective, Mexico has indeed made progress. The reform to the General Law of Health published on January 15 marks a turning point. For the first time, digital health is explicitly addressed in the law, assigning authority to the Secretariat of Health, mandating digital capabilities for all National Health System institutions, and acknowledging the need to protect personal health data with higher standards.
This progress wasn’t spontaneous or isolated. It’s the result of years of accumulated work – from legislative initiatives presented by the author and the PAN Group in Parliament (2021-2025) on a Digital Health Law to the amendment of the General Health Law to include a Digital Health chapter presented by the Federal Executive in September 2025 – along with technical dialogue, evidence, and active participation from civil society, academia, and the private sector.
Acknowledging Key Contributors
I’d like to express a special recognition to the Mexican Health Foundation (FUNSALUD) since 2020, when we began discussing the possibility of a Digital Health Law. Their consistent, serious, and technically solid support has been invaluable. FUNSALUD’s role as an articulator of Transform Health Mexico, their position papers, comparative analyses, and ability to bring together national and international actors have been real inputs for legislative work. They were not mere observers; they were allies.
Thanks to this collective effort, we now discuss topics previously almost invisible in public debate: data governance in healthcare, digital informed consent, cybersecurity, secondary data use for research and public health, system interoperability, and ethics in AI usage.
The Road Ahead
However, I am clear: legislative advancement alone is insufficient. We have a more modern legal framework, but its implementation faces a significant structural challenge: budgeting.
With public health spending equivalent to 2.6% of the GDP, one of the lowest on the continent, there’s a risk that reforms remain on paper unless translated into sustained investment, especially in states and municipalities with greater disparities.
The next step is crucial. We need to monitor regulation, demand periodic reports, define clear impact indicators, and link digital health deployment with concrete goals of reducing territorial and social disparities. Technology must reach where the state has historically failed.
Along this path, I am convinced that Transform Health Mexico and FUNSALUD must continue accompanying us. Their role is now even more relevant: generating evidence of results, helping post-implement evaluation of the law, strengthening local capabilities, and ensuring that the digital health agenda aligns with the genuine priorities of Mexican communities.
Digital Health: A Means, Not an End
Digital health is not an end in itself. It’s a means to achieve something far greater: ensuring that being born in a rural community, marginalized area, or far from a high-specialty hospital does not determine one’s chances of living healthily and dignified.
This is the cause that drives me, and we will continue working together on it.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: What is the significance of digital health in Mexico? A: Digital health solutions can significantly improve access to healthcare, especially in areas historically underserved by the state.
- Q: What legislative advancements have been made in Mexico regarding digital health? A: The General Law of Health was reformed to explicitly include digital health, assigning authority to the Secretariat of Health and mandating digital capabilities for all National Health System institutions.
- Q: Who has contributed to these advancements? A: The Mexican Health Foundation (FUNSALUD) has played a crucial role through consistent support, technical expertise, and active participation in the legislative process.
- Q: What challenges remain in implementing these digital health reforms? A: The primary challenge is budgeting, given Mexico’s low public health spending relative to its GDP.
- Q: What is the role of Transform Health Mexico and FUNSALUD moving forward? A: They will continue to generate evidence of results, help evaluate the implemented law, strengthen local capabilities, and ensure alignment with community priorities.
