Julio J Copo Terrés
Arochi & Lindner, México
jcopo@arochilindner.com

A milestone in the history of Mexican health policy was marked on 15 January 2026 with the publication of the decree reforming, adding, and repealing various provisions of the General Health Law (LGS) regarding digital health. This reform, driven by the federal Executive branch, seeks to modernise and integrate the health sector by formally incorporating ‘Digital Health’ as a specific chapter of the law. While this legislative advancement is born of good intentions to expand coverage, improve efficiency, and guarantee effective access to quality services for all people, operational reality reveals that the path toward a true digital transformation faces obstacles of enormous magnitude.

Complexity of universalisation and certification

One of the pillars of the reform is the digitalisation of patient medical information to facilitate the secure exchange of data between professionals and establishments. However, the universalisation of the Electronic Clinical Record (ECE) and the certification of Health Electronic Registry Information Systems (SIRES) is an extremely complex task.

Although the Mexican Official Standard NOM-024-SSA3-2012 establishes the criteria for these systems to be interoperable and secure, in practice, the vast majority of systems used in the private sector are not certified under this standard. Furthermore, the conformity assessment procedure carried out by the General Directorate of Health Information (DGIS) is a rigorous technical process that requires systems to comply with international standards such as HL7 and DICOM, representing a technical and economic barrier for many health providers.

Labyrinth of non-interoperable systems

The second major challenge lies in the fragmentation of the Mexican public health system. Currently, institutions such as the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), the Institute of Security and Social Services of State Workers (ISSSTE), and state systems operate with a diversity of IT systems that are not necessarily compatible with each other.

This lack of semantic interoperability – that is, the ability of systems to ‘speak the same language’ – prevents information from a patient who visits different health units from being integrated coherently. Despite the efforts of the SINBA project to integrate basic national health information, a multiplicity of reports persists, as does the difficulty of consolidating a single record that allows for comprehensive and uninterrupted care regardless of the citizen's social security status. Without well-structured common standards, digitalisation remains stuck in ‘information islands’ that limit efficiency and increase risks to patient safety.

Eelectronic medical prescription: a strategic pending task

The reform introduces the disruptive possibility of private pharmacies integrating into the public sector's drug supply network. For this hybrid model to be successful, the universalization of the electronic medical prescription is an indispensable technological piece.

Although the initiative implicitly recognises its value in guaranteeing traceability and safety in dispensing, its massive implementation remains pending. A universal digital prescription would allow an IMSS-Bienestar patient to fill their medications at a nearby community pharmacy through real-time digital validation. However, this requires a robust pharmacovigilance infrastructure and mandatory certification for all participating pharmacies in quality and traceability processes – something that is still far from being a reality across the entire national territory.

Abyss of the digital divide in remote areas

Finally, the success of any digital health policy in Mexico hits the harsh reality of technological infrastructure in rural areas and marginalised communities. The reform promotes the use of telehealth and telemedicine to bring medical care to these regions, but without reliable internet connectivity and adequate technological resources, these tools are inapplicable.

Historically, investment in information technologies in the health sector has been limited compared to other countries, creating a significant territorial gap. While urban areas are beginning to discuss the use of Artificial Intelligence for diagnosis, many remote areas of the country still lack the basic conditions to operate a computer or maintain sufficient bandwidth for teleconsultation services.

Conclusion

The reform to the General Health Law is, undoubtedly, a brave step toward the necessary modernisation of the healthcare system. However, legislative intent is not enough if it is not accompanied by massive investment in infrastructure, continuous staff training, and a clear secondary regulatory framework that resolves interoperability and connectivity issues. The challenge for the state and health providers is not just to digitalise paper, but to build an interconnected ecosystem that truly puts the patient at the center, eliminating the technological borders that currently divide medical care in Mexico.