While Brazil is the only country with more than 100 million inhabitants to have a free public health system and the Unified Health System (SUS) is a global benchmark, the sector faces many problems and difficulties, ranging from a lack of technical capacity and resources to meet the enormous demand – today, more than 70% of the Brazilian population relies on SUS – to a lack of investment and management problems.

And it’s not just public health that’s at the top of the list of concerns and considered the main priority of the current Lula administration: patients in the private system are also suffering from consecutive increases in the cost of health plans and, amid the increase in cases of depression and anxiety, mental health has also started to feature.

Below we list some of the main concerns Brazilians have about the national health system:

1. Quality and Quantity of Public Hospitals, Beds and Health Centers

According to a survey by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), also released in April, Brazilians point to public health as a critical sector. In the survey, more than 20% of respondents consider improving the conditions of the hospitals and healthcare facilities – the Basic Healthcare Units (UBS, in the Brazilian acronym) – of the SUS to be a priority.

A study carried out by the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM), based on the National Registry of Healthcare Facilities (CNES), revealed that between 2010 and 2023, the number of inpatient beds in public hospitals fell from 335,000 to 309,000, a loss of around 25,000.

The UBS suffer from the same problem. Considered the gateway to health care (primary care), many UBS are currently short of medicines and supplies for chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, cascading the problem to secondary and tertiary care. Today, the ratio of health units to inhabitants is insufficient, and many of those available have structural problems. According to a survey carried out by the Institute for Health Policy Studies (IEPS) at the end of 2022, 34% of the population – more than 72 million people – do not have access to basic healthcare.

2. Long Queues for Appointments, Surgeries and Diagnostic Tests in the Public Health System

Waiting for medical care, exams and procedures is another critical problem highlighted by Brazilians in the CNI survey, related to the shortage of professionals, resources and beds. Many patients wait for months, including those who require immediate care or who need constant monitoring.

Even though the Federal Government has launched programs to reduce queues, such as the National Queue Reduction Program (PNRF), which was announced at the beginning of 2023 with a focus on elective surgeries, and the More Access to Specialists program, launched in April 2024, the situation is still critical: in the city of São Paulo alone, the largest in the country, 445,000 people were waiting for care at the beginning of this year.

3. Shortage of Doctors and Nurses

The Federal Council of Medicine estimates that there is 1 doctor for every 470 people in Brazil. While the national average is not unsatisfactory, the distribution of professionals between public and private networks and geographies is uneven, even with initiatives such as the More Doctors program. This problem was also identified as a priority by 20% of respondents to CNI’s survey.

A technical study conducted by the National Confederation of Municipalities (CNM) covering 3,385 Brazilian municipalities in 2023 found that 28.9% of these municipalities suffered from a shortage of primary care professionals. And the situation gets worse outside the state capitals: more than half of professionals (55.1%) are concentrated in major cities, where 23.8% of the population lives. This means that less than half of doctors care for around ¾ of the population.

4. Problems with Access to Mental Health Care

According to the “Global Health Service Monitor 2023” survey carried out by Ipsos, five out of ten Brazilians (52%) believe that mental health is the country’s main problem in terms of the population’s well-being. The problem has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic: according to the 2024 Global Mind Project study of more than 420,000 people in 70 countries, the mental health of post-pandemic Brazilians is one of the worst in the world. Currently, more than 18 million Brazilians are estimated to suffer from disorders such as anxiety and depression.

In addition to the lack of access to care – according to a 2023 report by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), 80% of people diagnosed with anxiety and depression in the Americas have no access to treatment – the sector faces other barriers, such as prejudice and stigmatization, lack of family support and social and workplace support.

5. Consecutive Increases in the Cost of Health Insurance

Although supplementary health care is fundamental to relieving the burden on the public system and generates a greater sense of security for the population that has access to it, the constant increases in the cost of health insurance have been a cause for concern. According to a report by XP Investimentos based on data from the National Supplementary Health Agency (ANS), released in 2024, group health plans increased in cost by over 14% for the third consecutive year, with some plans increasing by more than 20%.

It is worth stressing that of the 50.9 million beneficiaries of supplementary healthcare, 88.6% are in group plans, whether corporate- or membership-based. The maximum annual adjustment for individual and family health plans is 6.91%, according to the limit set by the ANS in April this year.

6. Control of Epidemics such as Dengue, Measles and Mpox

After the peaks of the COVID-19 pandemic, controlled by immunization worldwide, Brazil continues to face other serious epidemics, such as dengue fever, with peaks in the first half of 2024. This disease, which killed over 4,000 people and infected more than 6 million up to June this year, is still in a state of alert, although it is advancing more slowly.

In addition to dengue fever, the country is on the alert for the possibility of new epidemics, including mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. In September, Brazil recorded 791 reported cases and 16 deaths from the disease. Due to the high transmissibility of mpox and the risk it poses to the most vulnerable populations, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an outbreak alert for the disease worldwide.

Diseases that had previously been eradicated from Brazil, such as measles and polio, once again require attention. According to data presented in September, during the 26th National Immunization Conference in Recife, at least 4,587 municipalities were classified as being at high risk for measles and 225 were categorized as being at very high risk, totaling 86% of towns and cities across the country with a high risk for the disease. Another 751 were listed as medium risk and only four as low risk. Also at the National Immunization Conference, data on polio was released: 68% of Brazil’s 5,570 municipalities are classified as being at high or very high risk of the disease. This represents a total of 3,781 towns and cities.

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In conclusion, the health landscape in Brazil is facing significant challenges that have emerged as top concerns for the population, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Issues such as the quality and availability of public healthcare facilities, long waiting times for medical services, a shortage of healthcare professionals, and escalating mental health crises underscore the urgent need for reform. Additionally, rising health insurance costs and the resurgence of preventable diseases like dengue, measles, and polio further complicate the situation. Addressing these interconnected concerns will be crucial for the Brazilian government and healthcare system to improve overall health outcomes and ensure equitable access to care for all citizens.

Next Steps

Ready to dive deeper into the most pressing issues in Brazil and the Latin American healthcare landscape? Reach out to us today. At GHI, we offer tailored data and insightful studies designed to give you a clearer picture of the future of healthcare in the region. Let’s explore how these trends could impact your organization and help you stay ahead of the curve.

On an institutional level, some of the systemic problems lie in the regulators of the Mexican pharmaceutical industry. The regulatory agency, which goes by the Spanish acronym Cofepris, has been known to delay the approval of new medications and demand bribes for their release. The “parallel” medication market is also so rampant in Mexico that it’s often difficult to determine which medications are real and which are fake. This has left López Obrador with major medication-related problems, ones that he has been desperate to solve since taking office.

Relief from a Mega Pharmacy?

López Obrador’s efforts to relieve Mexico’s medication shortages and distribution problems culminated at the end of 2023, with his inauguration of a massive “mega pharmacy” on the outskirts of Mexico City on December 29. This government-owned, 43,000-square-foot facility is intended to house and distribute any medication that Mexican patients might need.

The new pharmacy, which is actually more of a massive warehouse, is intended to work in concert with local health facilities such as hospitals, medical centers and pharmacies. The premise is straightforward: If a doctor or pharmacist is having difficulty obtaining the medication that they need for a patient through their usual channels, they can call the warehouse and have it delivered. In fact, López Obrador promised that any requested medication would be shipped within 24 to 48 hours.

Will It Work as Intended?

The idea of the new government-controlled warehouse sounds good in theory. And López Obrador does have some success in using government resources to facilitate the distribution of medications in the past. In 2021, for example, he relied on the armed forces and volunteers to distribute and administer COVID-19 vaccinations to anyone who wanted them. By the end of the year, they were available to just about all Mexicans for free if desired.

However, there’s also no question that some of the problems with Mexico’s pharmaceutical distribution model are directly tied to López Obrador’s policies. Earlier in his presidency, he grew frustrated with the high cost of medications. His solution was to cut private companies out of the process and make his government the direct buyer of all medications.

He enlisted the help of the World Health Organization in this plan, but even with their assistance, the Mexican government lacked the expertise in medication acquisition and distribution, and this endeavor has largely been perceived as a failure. Experts have noted that the government has created even more bottlenecks in distribution, and Mexico’s level of unfilled prescriptions went from 1.5 million in 2019 to 22 million by 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic may have played a role in these numbers, but that’s still a massive jump in unfilled prescriptions.

Some health care experts see similar risks with López Obrador’s current warehouse venture. They acknowledge that his efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 were largely successful, but distributing one drug effectively is quite a bit different than managing the distribution of thousands of different medications to an entire country of people.

The Mega Pharmacy’s Potential Impact on the Pharmaceutical Industry

Mexico’s current policy, the government control of medication purchasing, has already posed challenges to those in pharmaceutical manufacturing and sales. And at first glance, the opening of this massive mega pharmacy is certainly not going to change that paradigm. On the contrary, it appears that it will further strengthen the Mexican government’s hold over the pharmaceutical industry, as they could potentially have more buying power, as well as major distribution power over the medications in their possession.

However, if López Obrador’s grand warehouse project ends up being a success, then there may be potential opportunities in Mexico for pharmaceutical companies that hadn’t existed before. If it cleans up the distribution problems, for example, then the demand for drugs could potentially increase as more people know they can rely on the system. This could open up future opportunities for higher volumes of sales or the sales of new drugs to Mexico.

Of course, all of this remains to be seen based on the effectiveness of the new warehouse and its distribution model. But it’s certainly a significant development in the Mexican medication market that’s worth keeping an eye on for the remainder of 2024 and beyond.

Next Steps

Contact us to find out more about GHI’s research solutions. Our team of experts can provide strategic analyses on some of the most common healthcare-related topics in emerging markets in Latin America.

Established almost 230 years ago, the “Fray Antonio Alcalde” Civil Hospital of Guadalajara is still one of the most important public health institutions in all of Mexico and remains at the forefront of technology. To find out more about this important hospital and its plans, we spoke with Dr. Jaime Andrade Villanueva, Director of the Civil Hospital of Guadalajara.

– Your hospital has consistently been ranked as one of the best equipped in the country. What are some of the main types of medical equipment your hospital needs to buy or replace regularly?

We are an institution that provides specialty and high-specialty medical care. The fact that we receive more than 1,150,000 visits annually, plus their complexity, requires us to renew and modernize our medical and diagnostic equipment. We process over 5.5 million lab samples, 230,000 imaging studies, and 3,000 pathology studies each year.

Our strengths as an institution include biomedical and information and communication technology (ICT) equipment. We have acquired units to process a high number of procedures for diagnostics and treatment. We enhanced the surgical area with 10 new operating rooms (including a hybrid operating room with a portable CT scanner) at the “Fray Antonio Alcalde” Old Civil Hospital of Guadalajara (AHCGFAA by its Spanish initials), and the other operating rooms have been modernized.

We are looking at bringing in a linear accelerator to treat cancer patients, and a project to increase care coverage for patients in need of hemodialysis.

– Is there any medical device in particular with special technology or innovations that the hospital has recently bought or plans to buy?

We are the best-equipped hospital in the State Health System. We modernized most of the radiology and imaging equipment over the last three years, including X-ray rooms and CT, hemodynamics, and NMR units, which increased our physical installed capacity, and we processed more procedures. We have the highest number of incubators and radiant-heat cribs in the High Specialty Maternal and Child Unit (UAEMI), and we have equipped and modernized the comprehensive care service for children and mothers. We brought in specialist equipment such as hemodynamics rooms, neuronavigation systems, neurosurgery microscopes, and genetic and molecular analysis equipment, to name but a few. Equipment for pandemic treatment, including volumetric ventilators, patient monitors, and hospital beds, has also been upgraded.

The institute is analyzing the feasibility of acquiring a Da Vinci robot and equipment for a radiotherapy and nuclear medicine unit (linear accelerator, PET scanner, planning CT scanner, cyclotron, and high-rate brachytherapy unit).

– What are the main factors that lead a renowned institution like the Civil Hospital of Guadalajara to buy new equipment?

The AHCGFAA is a 229-year-old institution, and the “Dr. Juan I. Menchaca” New Civil Hospital of Guadalajara (NHCGJIM) is 35 years old. Although we are constantly modernizing, we have equipment that has reached the end of its service life. The main reasons for purchasing new equipment are related to factors that include the type of care provided (specialty and high-specialty), the hospital’s accreditations and/or certifications, and systems integration (ICTs).

– Does the hospital have plans for expansions, renovations, or new units?

Yes, there is Civil Hospital East, with nearly 350 beds—a general hospital with specialties that will treat patients coming from nine municipalities in the state. We are also remodeling both hospital units, including microbiology labs, blood banks, pediatric and adult intensive care units, pediatric and adult emergency rooms, and inpatient floors.

We will also be starting with 10 new operating rooms, including a hybrid one at AHCGFAA, a hemodynamics unit at NHCGJIM, and a new mobile hemodialysis unit.

– Is there any new initiative for patient care at your hospital that you could share with us?

The surgical procedures it performs are increasingly less invasive. We have been performing laparoscopic surgery for years, and we have acquired a neuronavigation system and surgery microscopes to treat patients with neurological conditions. We are also doing more and more endovascular diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for stenosis, occlusions, blood vessel dilatation, thrombosis, and valve replacements, among other things.

The hospital currently performs fetal surgery, and we have health professionals trained to identify and treat patients with special conditions that are treatable in the womb before birth. We also carry out complex procedures such as fetal biopsies, intrauterine transfusion, amniodrainage, and fetoscopy, as well as specialized management focusing on the prevention of short- and long-term disabilities in newborns (prevention of retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, intraventricular hemorrhage, and neurological damage). Lastly, we have experience in diagnosing and treating congenital malformations such as cardiovascular, spinal, central-nervous-system, and gastrointestinal malformations.

Using data from its recent MedTech Outlook report, GHI has refreshed its highly popular Data Portrait of the Latin American Medical Equipment Market. This infographic provides a quick but substantial look at the region’s medical equipment market, featuring:

• Overall base installed equipment
• Growth trends for different medical equipment types in Latin America in 2022
• Broader growth trends for 2019-2022 in several verticals
• Country-by-country expansion in equipment totals, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico
• Growth forecasts for different medical equipment verticals in Latin America

And much more.

Click here to download your copy of the Data Portrait of the Latin American Medical Equipment Market.

Your hospital has consistently been ranked as one of the best equipped in the country. What are some of the main types of medical equipment your hospital needs to buy or replace on a regular basis?

The Bolivarian University Clinic provides health services at all care levels, with particular emphasis on medium and high-complexity care in most of the specialties for the entire population of Medellín, Antioquia, and the country, with a special focus on maternal and pediatric care. It provides outpatient and inpatient services in the various clinical and surgical specialties, including most notably the Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the Maternal and Pediatric Unit, and all the diagnostic support services. We have a plan for renewing our biomedical technology, aimed at maintaining the conditions of safety and the supply of high-complexity care for both mother and child. So the equipment that we need to upgrade the most relates to critical neonatal care (incubators, ventilators, warming blankets, radiant-heat cribs), but also equipment related to diagnostic imaging, from basic systems like conventional portable X-ray machines, to additional technology such as C-arm image intensifiers.

Is there any medical device in particular with special technology or innovations that the hospital has recently bought or plans to buy?

It upgraded the Phillips-made CT scanner, which is a 128-slice unit that expands our capacity to perform a higher volume of CT scans. There are plans to upgrade radiant-heat cribs and incubators, and to purchase a fixed X-ray unit and an MRI scanner. Additionally, in partnership with suppliers, it plans to purchase a pediatric (neonatal) dialysis machine.

What are the main factors that lead a renowned institution such as the Bolivarian University Clinic to buy new equipment?

The main reason is to provide our patients safe services with comprehensive care. Also, to provide timely services and expand the portfolio of services in accordance with the health needs of the population we serve.

What kinds of health challenges is the Bolivarian University Clinic facing right now?

The main challenge is the demographic transition and morbidity profile of the patients. Other challenges include having assertive information strategies in health care given the demand from more informed patients seeking the best health alternatives for their treatment; the efficient use of resources and technologies; working in integrated health care networks in a coordinated way; achieving the interoperability of biomedical technologies with information systems so that administrative and clinical staff have the information to make decisions; and making the clinic socially, environmentally, and financially sustainable.

Does the hospital have plans for expansions, renovations, or new units?

Yes, we are planning an outpatient care unit, with basic imaging services, sample taking, and minor-procedure rooms.

What types of equipment, devices, or resources do you think Colombian hospitals will need more of and/or will become more necessary in the next few years?

All the equipment related to the treatment of chronic, neurological, urological, musculoskeletal, and neurodegenerative diseases, and also equipment related to interoperability with information systems and the use of artificial intelligence as an aid for clinical and administrative decision making.

Is there any new initiative with respect to patient care at the hospital that you could share with us?

Yes, service models and patterns of practice based on clinical conditions, and a model of care based on the management of obstetric clinical risk through telemonitoring.

What other health problems or challenges have you recently noticed now that the pandemic has generally receded?

The increased mental illness caseload and the exacerbation of chronic diseases are significant, as are the growing needs and expectations of the patient, family, and health team in the context of finite resources. Another challenge is the empowerment of the patient for self-health care and the incorporation of healthy lifestyles and well-being of the population with or without health risks. In addition, there is detection and intervention of individual health risks with the use of all the new technologies, which entails shifting from a model of general care to one of specialist care. Lastly, there are data-based health services, using the exchange of data among applications, medical records, and systems of care, enabling institutions to overcome the barriers in order to put together solutions based on clinical information.

About the Bolivarian University Clinic

Located in Colombia, the Bolivarian University Clinic is a medium and high complexity health institution with high quality accreditation and certified as a University Hospital.

One of the largest and best equipped hospitals in Brazil, Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz is known for offering complex treatments and its differentiated healthcare model, which places patients at the center of their healthcare. In the interview below, Dr. Antonio da Silva Bastos Neto, Executive Medical Director, discusses new equipment, research and innovation, patient care, the challenges facing the healthcare sector, new initiatives and what to expect in the future.

What are the main medical equipment models that the institution buys or substitutes most often?

Dr. Antonio da Silva Bastos Neto: Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz is a quaternary hospital that provides high-complexity healthcare, including specialized transplant care. As we perform all transplants here in the hospital, the equipment and devices that we purchase most often are those used for diagnosis — MRIs, CT scans, and ultrasound. Along with this diagnostic equipment, diagnostic interventions are becoming more and more necessary. As we improve diagnostic capabilities, we can make an earlier diagnosis and thus also make earlier imaging-guided interventions.

Are there any particular healthcare devices with standout technology or innovation that the hospital has acquired recently or plans to acquire?

Dr. Antonio: Recently, I think it was about three years ago, we acquired a device called Halcyon. It was the first one in Latin America and its system delivers radiotherapy with pinpoint precision, reducing the number of sessions and thus patients’ exposure to radiation by at least a quarter. This results in a better patient experience, more assertive treatment and increased productivity for the institution.

What are the main factors that lead a benchmark institution such as Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz to acquire new equipment?

Dr. Antonio: I think that the most basic thing — but which is a commitment that the institution has made to its patients — is to keep the equipment in perfect working condition. To this end, with our own clinical engineering structure and maintenance carried out by our own team, we have a clear idea of the time devices become obsolete. The second point is when we see that a certain technology will improve patients’ experience, providing more precise healthcare.

What are the healthcare challenges currently faced by Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz?

Dr. Antonio: As a result of the pandemic, the current situation is most unusual. The volume of claims received by payment sources is very high. It’s at an all-time high. And in the healthcare market, you need to be more and more efficient. You need to have the lowest costs and the ability to generate funds for investments in such a way that you maintain your vocation as a hospital of excellence. Therefore, the challenge in this market is to increasingly consolidate as a quality institution so that patients can be convinced that they are in a hospital that provides care. Another challenge is that, as technology keeps on arriving, you have to be clear about the benefit that it will bring and not simply buy something because you want to be the first to have it. Every investment needs to generate value. This is a commitment which we have to treat very carefully, so that the hospital maintains its quality and its ability to invest in technologies that add value. So, when I say that the institution’s value lies in innovation, it does not mean innovation at any price. This is why the hospital administration needs to be permanently focused on generating value, because of its responsibility for caring for people.

Does the hospital have any plans to expand, upgrade or open any new units?

Dr. Antonio: The need to upgrade is an ongoing commitment. As time goes by, structures need to be adapted, expanded. We currently operate with two master plans: one at the Paulista Unit and one for technology, with the aim of strengthening our data security and improving the quality of the technology we use at our hospital. We are accredited by the World Health Organization as institutions capable of this management and of expanding this knowledge, this experience, so as to improve the healthcare scenario in Brazil. This commitment is thus part of our strategy, growth is a consequence — a consequence of the results, of our ambition. On top of this, we have drawn up a strategic plan for the next five years which, in fact, foresees the units’ growth. We also invest heavily in research and education, training doctors. We understand that research strengthens our reputation. Technology can be bought and buildings can be built, but knowledge is something that involves culture and the clinical staff. It involves a structure underpinned by our pillars: innovation, research and education. Therefore, we have also invested in this dimension in order for the hospital to fulfill its social role and contribute by generating knowledge.

About Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz

Founded in 1897, Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz is one of the largest hospital centers in Latin America.  It has 10 specialty centers, each with multidisciplinary teams with specific training and expertise in the main health fields.

That is what sets HospiRank apart.

Developed by Global Health Intelligence (GHI) and first published in 2017, HospiRank bases its ranking strictly on equipment. It features eight specific categories and includes the equipment amounts for each hospital as reported directly by each hospital. While equipment is just one of several components to determining the quality of a hospital, HospiRank is NOT meant to be a qualitative ranking or a resource for patients. Instead, it’s meant to help sales and marketing teams understand the resources that Latin American hospitals have in terms of base installed equipment.

While companies often charge significant sums for this kind of market intelligence, HospiRank is available for free download on GHI’s site. While it only represents a small part of the market intelligence data offered by Global Health Intelligence, it is a useful resource for understanding the medical equipment/device market in Latin America.

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Equipment Types Covered by HospiRank

For the hundreds of Latin American hospitals ranked in HospiRank, you’ll find:

• Amounts of anesthesia machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of angiograms in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of beds in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of bone densitometers in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of C-arms in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of cobalt therapy machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of colposcopes in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of CT scanners in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of echocardiogram machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of endoscopy machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of endoscopy towers in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of EKG/electrocardiogram machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of electrocautery machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of gamma cameras in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of incubators in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of infusion pumps in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of linear accelerators in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of MRI machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of operating rooms in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of patient monitors in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of positron emission tomography machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of radiant heat cribs in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of radiotherapy machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of stereotactic mammography machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of surgical tables in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of ultrasound machines in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of ventilators in leading Latin American hospitals
• Amounts of X-ray machines in leading Latin American hospitals

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Broader Data on Latin American Hospitals

Beyond the granular numbers for different equipment types, HospiRank also features aggregate numbers for more than 90% of the hospitals in Latin America, such as:

• Average number of operating rooms per hospital in Latin American hospitals
• Basic equipment penetration levels in Latin American hospitals
• Specialized equipment penetration levels in Latin American hospitals
• Total number of CT scanners in Latin American hospitals
• Total number of delivery rooms in Latin American hospitals
• Total number of EKG machines in Latin American hospitals
• Total number of hemodialysis machines in Latin American hospitals
• Total number of hospital beds in Latin American hospitals
• Total number of MRI machines in Latin American hospitals
• Total number of operating rooms in Latin American hospitals
• Total number of ventilators in Latin American hospitals

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Country-Level Data for Latin American Hospitals

HospiRank 2023 also features hospital infrastructure data—including counts of 14 different types of medical equipment—for a number of Latin American countries:

• Argentina hospital market data
• Bolivia/Uruguay/Paraguay hospital market data
• Brazil hospital market data
• Chile hospital market data
• Colombia hospital market data
• Dominican Republic/Puerto Rico hospital market data
• Ecuador hospital market data
• Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras hospital market data
• Mexico hospital market data
• Peru hospital market data

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Interviews with Top Hospitals

HospiRank 2023 also includes insightful interviews with Latin America’s leading hospitals so that medical equipment/devices manufacturers can gain a deeper understanding of their equipment acquisitions, their strategic goals and potential future expansion. These include:

ARGENTINA

• Hospital Público Materno Infantil
• Hospital de Alta Complejidad El Cruce
• Sanatorio Güemes

BRAZIL

• Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein
• Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP

CHILE

• Hospital Dr. Guillermo Grant Benavente Hospital Regional de Concepción

COLOMBIA

• San Vicente Fundación

MEXICO

• Hospital Civil de Guadalajara
• Hospital de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez
• Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González

PERU

• Hospital Nacional Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen
• Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal

Click here to obtain your free HospiRank 2023 report.

Individual country reports are available for the media upon request. Journalists can contact GHI via the website to request the report for their country (or countries) of interest.

At GHI we’re tracking the robotic surgery market in Latin America closely. Our focus entails researching and updating records pertaining to:

• Hospitals that have robotic surgery systems in different countries
• Make, model and year acquired for each system
• Type of institution that acquired the system (public, private, mixed)
• Brands with the largest market share
• Other strategic data

Our research has revealed a number of interesting data points, such as:

• The largest increase in robotic surgery acquisitions may have occurred during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Brazilian hospitals possess about half the total amount of surgical robots in Latin America
• In all countries except one, 70-80% of hospitals with these systems are private
• Nearly 15% of LatAm hospitals with robotic surgery systems own more than one

Next Steps

Contact us to find out how you can obtain our full data set on robotic surgery acquisitions in Latin America in the form of a report—or as part of a larger landscape study that can help you understand where the future sales opportunities lie, where the market is headed and much more.

Our goal is to capture what is happening in Latin American hospitals and share these updates with our audience. Currently, our team is in regular contact with thousands of hospitals as we update information for our HospiScope database and offer new data for our Latin America Hospital Monitoring service.

What we’ve done is take advantage of that ongoing contact to produce this resource for our readers. This Pulse Report issue covers key perspectives on the medical equipment market in certain LatAm countries, and discusses topics such as:

• Trends and demand for sutures in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia
• Purchase and pricing considerations for sutures
• Key attributes for sutures and brand preferences

And more!

Click here to download the report.

Deepen Your Insights

This report is just the beginning. If you’d like to have access to much more detailed data and monthly updates, subscribe to GHI’s Latin America Hospital Monitoring service. You access it using a Power BI platform with simple, efficient data displays. Click here to find out more about how you can subscribe to the Latin America Hospital Monitoring service.

Glimpses of this could be seen in one of the latest CES editions in Las Vegas, when Japanese housing construction group Sekisui House showed its new “Platform House Concept” that allows seniors to live independently while being monitored to detect illnesses or health issues. Developed with scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sekisui House uses ceiling sensors to check a person’s heartbeat. If the person has a heart attack, the house will call for help and open the doors after verifying that an emergency team has arrived.

Another Japanese startup presented its “e-skin” pajamas, designed to monitor the vital signs of seniors discreetly using artificial intelligence. They look like normal pajamas, but the sensors analyze vital signs and sleep conditions, and detect falls.

Another portable device for seniors is a wristwatch monitor from US company CarePredict that can allow their loved ones to track activities such as food and sleep before their vital signs indicate problems.

Population aging is a demographic trend affecting both Europe and Latin America, and has a significant impact on a country’s health expenditure. As the proportion of elderly people increases in a population, demand for health care and long-term care services increases.

The figures reflect the demographic situation in Europe and Latin America, where population aging is a reality and poses challenges and opportunities in health care, senior care, and other services related to active and healthy aging:

• According to the European Commission, roughly 30% of the European population will be 65 years or older by 2050.
• In some European countries, the proportion of people over the age of 65 is even higher. For example, in Italy and Germany, it is estimated that more than 20% of the population is already 65 or older.
• Life expectancy in Europe has also risen. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), life expectancy at birth in the European region is approximately 81 years.
• The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) projects that the proportion of people over 60 in Latin America and the Caribbean will reach 25% of the total population by the year 2050.
• Some Latin American countries are experiencing rapid population aging. For example, in Chile and Uruguay, it is estimated that more than 20% of the population is already aged 60 or older.
• Life expectancy in Latin America has also risen in recent decades. According to the WHO, life expectancy at birth in the region varies between countries, but generally stands at around 75–80 years.

How population aging affects health expenditure

Population aging brings with it an increase in health costs, representing a challenge for health systems and public policy. This is why countries are adopting appropriate strategies and policies to address these challenges in order to ensure financial sustainability and quality of health care for the elderly population.

The effects of population aging on the health sector are as follows:

• Higher prevalence of chronic diseases. With population aging there is an increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and musculoskeletal disorders. These diseases usually require long-term management and treatment, which increases health care costs.
• Higher demand for health care services. As people age they are more likely to require health care and long-term care. This includes regular medical visits, hospitalizations, medication, physical and occupational therapies, and other related services. The increased demand for these services means increased health expenditure.
• Senior care. Population aging is also accompanied by an increase in the need for senior care, whether through nursing homes, home care, or care provided by relatives. Senior care may be expensive, particularly in situations requiring specialized and long-term treatment.
• Pressure on health systems and social security systems. Population aging puts pressure on a country’s health and social security systems. Extra resources are needed to ensure adequate and sustainable care for the elderly population. This may include aspects such as infrastructure investment, personnel training, and preventative health care and health promotion programs.

Home care, a growth field

The home health care market has seen significant growth worldwide as a result of population aging and the demand for in-home health care services. What follows is an overview of the size of the home health care market globally, in Europe, and in Latin America:

The market size may vary among the different countries in Europe and Latin America, depending on factors such as demographics, health care infrastructure, and the availability of specific services in each region.

Rising demand for home health care services and products

As mentioned earlier, home health care is a growth area offering a range of business opportunities. These include:

• Home nursing services. It is possible to start a business offering home nursing services, where a team of trained nurses provides basic health care, such as administering medication, changing dressings and monitoring vital signs, and preventative care.
• Specialized medical care. If you are a physician or have access to a team of healthcare professionals, you can offer specialized medical care services in the home. This may include medical consultations, chronic disease monitoring, palliative care, and physical or occupational therapy.
• Medical supplies and equipment. You can set up an online store or a brick-and-mortar establishment to offer the medical supplies and equipment needed for home care, such as hospital beds, wheelchairs, canes, wound care products, and others.
• Technology and mobile apps. Developing mobile applications or technology platforms that help communication between patients and health care providers may be an interesting business opportunity. These applications can facilitate appointment scheduling, treatment monitoring, medication management, and other useful features.
• Senior care. Population aging fuels demand for home health care services for senior citizens. Services of personalized care, companionship, help with daily activities, medication administration, and basic health care for seniors who would rather remain in their homes than move to a nursing home are in increasing demand.
• Medical transportation services. Many people with mobility issues need medical transportation to get to their medical appointments, or else receive treatment at home. There is demand for medical transportation services that allow patients to travel in safety and comfort, in vehicles equipped to meet their specific medical needs.

Health care payers in Latin America

In Latin American health systems, payers of home health care may vary depending on the country and the specific health system concerned. This means that access to home health care coverage may also vary in Latin America because of the differences in the health systems and the resources available in each country. Some countries have more developed programs and a higher degree of coverage, while health care in others is limited or inaccessible for certain groups of the population.

Potential payers for home health care in the region include:

Five technologies that are changing home health care

Lastly, home health care benefits from a wide range of technologies that help deliver quality health care services and improve communication between patients and care providers. These technologies contribute to improving the quality of home health care, facilitating patient health monitoring, and allowing effective communication between patients and health care providers, including remotely.

Technologies that are now common in home health care include:

1. Telemedicine. Telemedicine facilitates remote medical consultation through communication technologies such as video calls and mobile apps. Patients may have virtual consultations with doctors and receive diagnoses, follow-up treatment, and medical recommendations without having to travel to a health center.
2. Portable medical devices. Portable medical devices like blood glucose meters, blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, and physical activity monitors let patients monitor their health conditions at home and share the data with their physicians. These devices provide real-time information and allow for more accurate monitoring of patient health.
3. Mobile health apps. There are numerous mobile applications designed specifically for home health monitoring and management. These apps allow patients to record medical information, track medications, set reminders, monitor vital signs, and access health and education resources.
4. Medical data management platforms. These platforms allow patient medical data to be stored and accessed securely, facilitating collaboration among health care professionals and coordinated medical care. Data management platforms may also include features such as appointment reminders, electronic medical records, and medication tracking.
5. Home automation and virtual assistants. Domotic (home automation) technology such as movement sensors, video surveillance cameras, and emergency phone call systems can help monitor patient safety and well-being in the home. Virtual assistants are also used to provide medical information, set medication reminders, and schedule appointments.

Next steps

Contact GHI to learn about the personalized market analysis and research we offer on health care in Latin America, and more. GHI can help your business understand the market better as a whole or in a key segment of a specific country.