It is pleasant to see that more and more initiatives are emerging in Mexico that seek transparency around how hospitals operate and the results they achieve in the care of their patients. It is happening in the private part; it would be expected that later the publics operated by the Government will also enter.
A notable example is that of TecSalud with the San José Hospital and the Zambrano Hellion Hospital, which have just begun to publish key indicators to reflect the levels of quality and safety with which they offer their medical services. With this they launch an implicit invitation to the main hospitals in the country, or at least those in Nuevo León with which they compete directly, to do so as well.
It will be seen if other hospitals react with transparency actions, but for now they give Mexicans an idea about the type of results that we would have to know and demand every time we need to go to a hospital.
Those of TecSalud say that for years they have been working internally with 18 kpis or indicators, but until this 2021 they were encouraged to make 4 transparent to begin with. On their website in full view of the public they put the following: their unplanned hospital readmission rate (readmissions of patients in the first 30 days of the previous hospitalization.
It is assumed that when a patient is discharged he would not have to re-enter); the percentage of patients who require a second surgical procedure to attend to some complication; the rate of injured falls per patient (one of the most common causes of injury and damage in hospitalized patients); And in the case of heart attacks, they showed the average time between the first medical contact that the patient has upon admission until a device is placed to open the damaged artery and save his life (in acute coronary syndrome it is known as time gate-ball).
In order for the user to have a point of comparison in each case, TecSalud hospitals published data for 2021 and retrospective data for 2019 and 2018, as well as the international reference; They also hired a professional firm to audit, verify the traceability of their processes and validate these rates.
Sven Boes, general director of Hospitals at TecSalud, tells us that they decided to take the first step voluntarily and all the members of the National Association of Private Hospitals (ANHP) could join in this effort of transparency, since they themselves know their indicators but do not dare to bring them to light.
In fact, he comments that all hospitals certified by the General Health Council (ConSaGe) should be able to demonstrate traceability in their processes and open with their indicators. However, there is resistance partly because they do not see a benefit from it, and also because of fear that payers, especially insurers who really understand very little about health (even when they sell insurance for major medical expenses), will claim them. for achieving apparent poor results in safety and quality.
Another aspect where TecSalud works is in the adherence of doctors to clinical guidelines; this, with a view to reducing the high variability of hospital costs. This is a problem that afflicts the entire hospital industry in Mexico given the freedom and autonomy of the specialists, and because these as independent professionals are not employees of the hospitals.
It is something relevant to which everyone is looking for a solution because both TecSalud and all the large private hospital institutions in the country face the challenge of making their prices more accessible and thus reaching more people, increasing the volume and breaking the vicious circle that it maintains today restricted their services to the limited 7% of Mexicans who can afford major medical insurance.
Journalist on economics and health issues
Health and Business
Communicator specialized in public health and the health industry. Studying a master’s degree in Health Systems Administration at FCA of UNAM.
Founder in 2004 of www.Plenilunia.com, a concept on women’s health. I am passionate about researching and reporting on health, innovation, the science-related industry, and finding an objective business approach to each topic.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx