In 2020–2021, we all repeated the mantra: “we must strengthen the system.” The emergency passed… and in 2025 we still feel the echo: tight budgets, long waitlists, exhausted staff, and tough prioritization calls. Global and regional data back up that feeling: progress toward Universal Health Coverage has stalled, and more people are facing catastrophic health spending than a decade ago. (who.int)
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the pressure multiplies due to out-of-pocket (OOP) spending: on average, 32.4% of total health expenditure is paid directly by households (comparable 2019 series), well above OECD economies, with measurable impacts on poverty and delayed care. (OECD)
The reality behind “doing more with less”
- Costos hospitalarios por encima de la inflación. En 2024, el gasto total hospitalario creció 5.1% (inflación general 2.9%): salarios, suministros y disrupciones siguen presionando márgenes en 2025. (American Hospital Association)
- Health-worker shortfall. WHO projects a shortage of ~11 million health workers by 2030; the gap is not only volume, it’s skills and retention. (apps.who.int)
- Backlogs persistentes. A mitad de 2025, el NHS en Inglaterra reportó 7.41 millones de casos en lista de espera; casi 2.9 millones con más de 18 semanas, mostrando cómo la “ola larga” pospandemia aún golpea el acceso. (bma.org.uk)
- Insufficient and uneven public investment. PAHO recommends lifting public health spending to 6% of GDP (with clear allocation guidance) to sustain resilient networks; many countries remain below that mark.
(paho.org)
In short: higher demand, less slack, and operational complexity that isn’t solved by a single “module.”
What a private hospital can do today (without waiting for the “big reform”)
1) Secure the basics and measure what matters
Before “more technology,” ensure reliability and continuity: MFA, tested backups, rehearsed contingency plans, and endpoint monitoring. Then choose three actionable indicators per service line (e.g., no-shows, cycle times, readmissions) and review them weekly with clear owners. This prevents investments that don’t
change behavior (and cost pressures demand exactly that). (American Hospital Association)
2) Open data pathways (pragmatic interoperability)
Ask vendors for HL7/FHIR APIs and a quality-of-exchange report (latency, completeness, error rates). Connecting LIS/RIS/payers from day one shortens timelines and reduces rework—even if national frameworks mature slowly. (The UK’s long waitlists are a live reminder of why flow and timely information matter.)
(bma.org.uk)
3) Modernize the front door: patient portal, reminders, and digital payments
Patient-portal use in 2024 was associated with 21 million fewer missed appointments in the U.S.; patients with an active portal account were 21.5% less likely to no-show. Filling the schedule and speeding collections isn’t marketing fluff, it’s access and sustainability. (Epic Research)
4) Cut clinical admin burden with ambient AI
The With patient consent, ambient AI scribes are showing reductions in
documentation time and signs of lower burnout within weeks of use—freeing
minutes that go straight back to patient care. (jamanetwork.com)
5) Buy smarter (even if you’re private)
Use regional public-investment guides as a checklist: data governance,
architecture, training, sustainability. Structured procurement avoids “fashion
projects” that don’t scale and helps show rapid value in scarcity. (PAHO’s
minimum-investment point is a useful north star.) (paho.org)
Where HarmoniMD + CLARA fit
- HarmoniMD (cloud HIS/EHR): HL7/FHIR connectors, clinical-operational
dashboards, patient portal (reminders and payments), integrated orders,
and follow-up that reduces rework. - CLARA (AI medical assistant): verifiable summaries inside the EHR
workflow and assisted documentation to reduce administrative load and
speed decisions.
Conclusion
The promise of “doing more with less” sounds inspiring… until it arrives at the ED
door or the accounting office. Evidence shows systems remain under pressure:
rising costs, scarce staff, backlogs, and stressed household budgets. But there’s
room to move first: secure the base, open data flows, modernize intake, and use AI where it saves real time. It’s not magic—it’s operational discipline with
technology that actually changes routine.
¿Quieres verlo aplicado a tu hospital?
Book a HarmoniMD + CLARA demo (HarmoniMD’s AI-powered medical
assistant), or let’s discuss your project and design a route with clear clinical,
operational, and financial goals.
