Picture a national promise: “universal health coverage by 2030,” “interoperable
records for everyone,” “reasonable waiting times.” On paper, it sounds close. In
practice, timelines slip. Why? Because public goals depend on many moving
parts—funding, public procurement, rules and standards, data that must flow
across institutions, and scarce talent—all while the economy changes year to year.
Recent evidence shows progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has
stalled, and more people are facing catastrophic out-of-pocket spending than a
decade ago. (Organización Mundial de la Salud)
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the picture tightens because out-of-pocket
(OOP) spending is high. The regional diagnostic from OECD/World Bank
highlights persistent financial-protection gaps and pressure on households—an
everyday reality that shapes both public and private demand. (OECD)
Why national targets run late (in plain language)
1) The macro backdrop bites. Slower growth and tight public budgets make it
harder to sustain ambitious reforms (digital, infrastructure, workforce). Calendars
slip when financing does. (Reuters)
2) Governance and purchasing are complex. “Going digital” isn’t just “buy software.” It’s governance, architecture, change management—and public
procurement that ensures competition and traceability. The Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB) published a Digital Health Procurement Guide (2024)
that lays out a sensible pathway; it also shows why timelines expand when
coordination or capabilities are missing. (Publicaciones)
3) Interoperability takes time—by design. Frameworks like the Interoperable
Europe Act (in force since July 12, 2024) and the U.S. HTI/TEFCA rulemaking
create the “roads and rules” for secure data exchange. That’s essential progress,
but adoption and maturation require technical, legal, and operational milestones
that don’t happen overnight. ( European Commission )
4) Competing priorities. The region is still shoring up medical supply chains and
primary care post-pandemic, which competes for budget and managerial focus,
another reason national digital goals move slower than we’d like. (OECD)
5) Coverage advances hit “plateaus.” PAHO’s reading of the UHC report shows
service-coverage gains stalling and financial protection deteriorating in the
Americas, plateaus that push national milestones to the right. (Organización
Panamericana de la Salud)
Meanwhile… how can private providers move first?
The good news: hospitals and networks don’t have to wait for the whole system.
They can build islands of excellence that, sensibly connected, deliver clinical and
operational wins now.
1) Adopt “pragmatic interoperability.”
- Ask vendors for FHIR/HL7 APIs, a shared data catalog, and quality-of-
exchange reports (latency, error rates, completeness). - Plan payer/LIS/RIS connectivity from day one.
- Major frameworks (Interoperable Europe Act; HTI/TEFCA) point the way:
data flows with clear rules. Borrow those principles to speed local
integrations. ( European Commission )
2) Move from “reports” to operational analytics.
- Pick three needle-moving questions (no-shows, cycle times, 30-day
readmits) and turn them into live dashboards reviewed weekly. - Tie each metric to a concrete action (e.g., an early-discharge worklist).
In a high-OOP environment, operational efficiency and patient experience
become differentiators. (OECD)
3) Buy smarter (even if you’re private).
- Use the IDB Digital Health Procurement Guide as a checklist: data
governance, architecture, training, KPIs, sustainability. It prevents “fashion
projects” without foundations. (Publicaciones)
4) Build continuity of care with simple pieces.
- Portal del paciente con recordatorios y pagos digitales;
- Digital consent and pre-admission;
- Video visits integrated to the chart.
These steps improve access and revenue cycles—even if national programs
take time to consolidate.
5) Align locally with national direction.
- Use standards and good practices compatible with emerging regulation.
- Document outcomes (time, quality, costs) so you can influence policy and
plug into PAHO/WHO initiatives as they scale. (Organización Panamericana
de la Salud)
Where HarmoniMD + CLARA fit
- HarmoniMD (cloud HIS/EHR): HL7/FHIR connectors, clinical-operational
dashboards, and modules that enable patient portal, integrated orders, and
continuity of care. - CLARA (AI medical assistant): verifiable clinical summaries and
assisted documentation that save time and boost adoption, without pulling
clinicians out of flow.
Conclusion
National targets slip because they’re institutional marathons: sustained funding,
mature rules, and multi-actor coordination. But private hospitals don’t need to wait
for the finish line to start gaining access, quality, and efficiency. With pragmatic
interoperability, actionable analytics, and smart purchasing, you can move
first—and help pull the system forward.
Want to see this in your workflows?
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.