[Fiftieth anniversary of the Medical Movement in Mexico (1964-1965)]. / Cincuentenario del Movimiento Médico en México (1964-1965).

This Symposium highlights the recognition that this year reaches half a century of the Medical Movement (1964-1965), and 27 years of publishing the book titled, "Documental Memories and Reflections" ("Crónica Documental y Reflexiones") edited by the Faculty of Medicine of the UNAM, at that time directed by the prestigious Dr. Fernando Cano Valle. Our President Dr. Graue indicated that Dr. Alejandro Treviño-Becerra assumed the coordination of this session with the commitment to be published in the Medical Gazette of Mexico for current and future generations. The Academic participants were: Norberto Treviño García-Manzo, president of the Academy in 1988. Dr. Felipe Mota Hernández was the Recording Secretary of the Mexican Medical Alliance ("Alianza de Médicos Mexicanos"). Now he is the Dean of the Children's Hospital of Mexico "Federico Gómez". Dr. Cesar Gutiérrez Samperio, surgeon at IMSS and professor at Medicine School, University of Queretaro until a year ago. Dr. Fernando Cano Valle, former Head of the Medical Faculty, UNAM, presently a researcher in Medicine and Human Rights in the Institute for Juridical Research, UNAM. I quote the Academic Treviño Zapata: "I believe that it will be difficult to bring again the conditions and circumstances that made possible the vigorous realization of the Medical Movement, the enthusiastic and hopeful creation of the Mexican Medical Alliance, and the promising start and progress of the integration of the national medical union."

Universalidad de los servicios de salud en México / Universal Coverage of Health Services in Mexico

Las reformas llevadas a cabo en años recientes al sistema de salud en México han reducido las inequidades en la atención a la salud de la población, pero han sido insuficientes para resolver todos los problemas del Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS). Para que el derecho a la protección de la salud consagrado en la Constitución sea una realidad para todos los ciudadanos, México se encuentra ante la necesidad de garantizar el acceso universal y efectivo a los servicios de salud. En este trabajo se delinea una reforma de largo alcance para la consolidación de un sistema de salud, afín con estándares internacionales, que establezca las condiciones estructurales para reducir las desigualdades en cobertura. Esta reforma se plantea a partir de un "pluralismo estructurado" para evitar tanto el monopolio ejercido desde el sector público como la atomización en el sector privado, y no caer en los extremos de procedimientos autoritarios o ausencia de regulación. Esto implica sustituir la actual integración vertical con segregación de grupos sociales, por una organización horizontal con separación de funciones. Implica, asimismo, reformas de tipo jurídico y fiscal, fortalecimiento del SNS, reorganización de las instituciones de salud y formulación de los instrumentos normativos, técnicos y financieros que hagan operativo el esquema propuesto para hacer plenamente efectivo el derecho humano a la salud de los mexicanos.

The reforms made in recent years to the Mexican Health System have reduced inequities in the health care of the population, but have been insufficient to solve all the problems of the MHS. In order to make the right to health protection established in the Constitution a reality for every citizen, Mexico must warrant effective universal access to health services. This paper outlines a long-term reform for the consolidation of a health system that is akin to international standards and which may establish the structural conditions to reduce coverage inequity. This reform is based on a "structured pluralism" intended to avoid both a monopoly exercised within the public sector and fragmentation in the private sector, and to prevent falling into the extremes of authoritarian procedures or an absence of regulation. This involves the replacement of the present vertical integration and segregation of social groups by a horizontal organization with separation of duties. This also entails legal and fiscal reforms, the reinforcement of the MHS, the reorganization of health institutions, and the formulation of regulatory, technical and financial instruments to operationalize the proposed scheme with the objective of rendering the human right to health fully effective for the Mexican people.

Relación del personal de salud con los pacientes en la Ciudad de México / Qualidade da relação da equipe de saúde com pacientes hospitalizados, Cidade do México / Relationship between health providers and patients in Mexico City

OBJETIVO: Analizar la calidad de la relación del personal de salud con los pacientes hospitalizados. MÉTODOS: Estudio cualitativo realizado de febrero a julio del 2005, en la Ciudad de México. Se aplicaron 40 entrevistas a profundidad a pacientes internados en un hospital de tercer nivel. Las categorías de análisis para explorar la percepción del trato entre los informantes fueron las siguientes: actitudes y acciones del personal médico y de enfermería, comunicación efectiva, grado de conocimiento del paciente y/o familiares sobre el diagnóstico, tratamiento clínico, evolución del agravo. RESULTADOS: En general, se encontró un alto grado de satisfacción con la atención médica. No obstante, los pacientes hospitalizados percibieron como inadecuado el trato cotidiano (no clínico) del personal médico y de enfermería del hospital, relacionado con la falta de confianza para solicitar información acerca de su padecimiento. El uso excesivo de tecnicismos por parte del prestador de servicios reforzó esta percepción de trato inadecuado. CONCLUSIONES: La percepción del trato inadecuado por el personal de salud fuera del ámbito técnico, mostró que la efectividad clínica no significa una plena calidad de la atención y que es necesario incorporar las necesidades y expectativas de trato no clínico de los pacientes a la eficiencia técnica y científica.

Relationship between health providers and patients in Mexico City.

OBJECTIVE: To assess quality of the relationship between inpatients and health providers. METHODS: A qualitative study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital in the Mexico City, Mexico, between February and July 2005. In-depth interviews were conducted with 40 inpatients. The following categories of analysis were used to explore the respondent's perception of care: attitudes and actions of medical and nursing providers, effective communication, level of knowledge of patients and their family on the diagnosis, clinical treatment, and evolution. RESULTS: Overall the level of satisfaction with health care was high. Inpatients perceived everyday (non-clinical) interactions with medical and nursing providers as inadequate due to lack of confidence to request information on their condition. In addition, this perception was reinforced by excessive use by providers of technical terminology. CONCLUSIONS: The routine relationship between health providers and their patients is perceived as inadequate showing that clinical effectiveness does not mean high quality of care. There is a need to bring together technical-scientific efficiency and patients' needs and expectations of non-clinical interactions.