Machines such as magnetic resonance imaging, linear accelerators, CT scanners, angiographs and radiotherapy equipment have become key elements for Latin American health centres to provide optimal care. Today, investments in this area are focused on detecting in time and treating - in the least invasive way possible - the most prevalent pathologies in the region.
Having the appropriate medical equipment and highly complex technology has become a fundamental aspect to improve the quality of care and attention to patients, as well as the infrastructure and medical staff . Today, the main health centers in Latin America are aware of this and have the equipment that is essential to treat the most common ailments in the population.
Thus, magnetic resonance imaging, linear accelerators, tomographs, angiographs, radiotherapy equipment, among others, are part of the basic equipment that a clinic or hospital with a certain level of complexity must have to guarantee comprehensive care.
The choice of equipment is not random, but is in line with the most common diseases, with cancer being one of the main causes of illness and death in Latin America and the Caribbean. According to a report by the British medical journal The Lancet , prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer in South America and the Caribbean, accounting for 14.6% of all diagnoses, followed by breast cancer, which also occupies a significant place and represents 14.3% of diagnoses. In this sense, these advanced imaging devices are the key tools to detect and treat these diseases in time.
“Health centers direct the purchase of diagnostic and treatment equipment based on the most recurrent pathologies or those that cause the most damage. Generally, these are cardiovascular, oncological, neurological diseases and diabetes. In the last five years, these pathologies are the ones that have most driven the purchase of equipment, focusing on magnetic resonance imaging, tomographs and ultrasound scanners, which can be 4D,” says Sandro Stapleton, president of the Health Association (Comsalud) of the Lima Chamber of Commerce (CCL) , who highlights that in the case of Peru, the annual investment in medical equipment has grown between 10 and 12% in the last five years.
María Patricia Acosta, corporate manager of Biomédica at the Christus Muguerza Health System in Mexico, says that investment in the last decade has experienced a notable strengthening, especially during the pandemic and in the years since. “In the last year, we have made an approximate investment of 110 million pesos (more than US$ 5.5 million), with an annual growth of 20%. In addition, we are carrying out strategic investments in high-end technology or with a specific impact on the service, which will amount to around 6.5 billion pesos (about US$ 32.5 million) by the end of 2024, a figure that has remained constant year after year,” she details.
In Costa Rica, the Clínica Bíblica Hospital invests between US$4 and US$5 million annually in the renewal of medical equipment. “In recent years, we have intensified investment in areas such as cardiology, with the acquisition of advanced equipment to improve diagnostic accuracy. We have systems such as bands for stress tests, Holter and ABPM monitoring, oxyholter and cardiac ultrasounds, all designed to optimize the detection and treatment of heart conditions,” says Guillermo Fernández, Medical Manager of the Clínica Bíblica Hospital .
THE POWER OF THE IMAGE
Investments in medical equipment by clinics and hospitals are strategic and focus on technologies that allow for faster and more accurate diagnoses. For this reason, diagnostic imaging, molecular imaging, nuclear medicine, radiotherapy and surgery equipment are a priority and are constantly evolving. “Technological innovations in the medical device industry in these specialties [imaging and diagnosis] present significant developments each year, with the aim of obtaining more accurate and timely diagnoses, as well as performing minimally invasive procedures that allow patients a faster and less risky recovery” says María Patricia Acosta.
Additionally, the executive points out that the hospital has diagnostic imaging and molecular imaging equipment that incorporates artificial intelligence software that allows obtaining images of various organs in a matter of seconds and processing the data to offer a diagnosis in minutes.
For Fernando Ganem, general director of the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital in Brazil, the diagnostic imaging area and the surgical center are sectors that require frequent technological updates, given the rapid advance of innovations in this field.
“However, not only the technical and clinical aspects are considered, but also the economic impact of these innovations, which must be evaluated in terms of productivity and efficiency. This constant search for new technologies is essential, but it is equally important that these innovations offer clear answers in terms of clinical results and financial sustainability. Resources are limited, and investment decisions must be made based on well-defined priorities,” explains the Brazilian doctor.
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Currently, the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital's average annual investment in new technologies and equipment renewal amounts to around US$ 40 million.
Along these lines, this year the San Pablo Group of Peru has made an investment in technology at the Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Center (CICA), which is a space dedicated to the prevention and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. “Our investment between the medical part and the improvement of systems is around 30 million soles (close to US$ 8 million) and we have been increasing this budget annually based on the new technology that is coming out. We estimate that next year's investment will be similar or greater, if the case warrants it,” says Manuel Marroquín, Corporate Commercial Manager of Grupo San Pablo .
MORE TECHNOLOGY
An important component of medical equipment is technology. Today, several Latin American medical centers have sophisticated equipment, such as robotic surgery systems that are gaining ground in Latin America. According to estimates by Clínica Internacional, there are four platforms in Ecuador, more than 10 in Chile, three in Argentina and one in Peru. Brazil is the largest market with 110 robots and most of them are from the Da Vinci brand, developed by the firm Intuitive Surgical.
Of the four clinics interviewed for this article, three have a robotic surgery team or are on the way to having one.
“Our investments focus on equipment that guarantees faster, more precise and accessible results, as well as on technologies that facilitate procedures with a quicker and safer recovery. For example, we have surgical robots for procedures in urology, gynaecology, general surgery, thoracic and knee surgery,” says María Patricia Acosta, from Christus Muguerza. In parallel, the clinic has also acquired a particle accelerator for the manufacture of specific radiopharmaceuticals, used in the diagnosis of oncological, neurological and cardiac diseases using positron emission tomography.
For the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital, the expansion of robotic surgeries to new specialties has been an important milestone. “In addition to the already consolidated surgeries of the gastric and urological tract, the application of this technology in orthopedics has been notable. Robotic surgery offers greater precision and control, reducing surgical time and optimizing clinical results,” notes Fernando Ganem.
The Clínica Bíblica Hospital, for its part, is also investing in this field, specifically in the ROSA (Robotic Surgical Assistant) system, which will allow for greater precision in hip and knee implants. For now, this Costa Rican health center has been “a pioneer in the use of the first neuronavigator in the region and the O-arm (intraoperative 2D/3D imaging system), which improves precision in spinal surgeries, neurosurgery and otorhinolaryngology, reducing radiation and improving image quality,” according to Dr. Guillermo Fernández.
INVESTMENTS THAT PAY
Having advanced technology equipment involves investments of several million dollars that, in the long run, bring benefits to both patients and clinics.
“Appropriate technology offers greater precision in procedures, patient safety and agility in processes, which results in shorter hospital stays and better clinical outcomes. However, its true value lies in its ability to generate operational efficiency, thus contributing to the financial sustainability of the health institution,” says Fernando Ganem.
In terms of the patient, according to Manuel Marroquín, having the appropriate infrastructure and equipment significantly influences patient safety “in relation to the precision with which it allows our surgeons to perform low, medium and high complexity interventions.”
Sandro Stapleton adds: “For a clinic, it definitely allows for improved operational efficiency, reduced diagnosis and treatment times, and optimised resources to avoid unnecessary procedures or reduce risks.”
Although for the president of Comsalud there is a lot of interest from health actors, especially private clinics, to acquire equipment, there are budgetary barriers, but also regulatory ones, such as the Special Regime for the Management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RAEE) in Peru, which would discourage the importation of medical equipment for hospitals and clinics, since it establishes that companies that import this machinery have to be responsible for collecting electronic waste and those who do not comply will receive fines.
Despite these challenges, investment in technology and medical equipment by private institutions in Latin America is growing and is transforming healthcare. The modernization of equipment and the integration of new technologies are allowing for more effective diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases that affect millions of Latin Americans.
