title: [Medical and surgical health care for congenital heart disease: a panoramic vision of the reality in Mexico. Inquiry 2009].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The only way to characterize the Mexican problem related to congenital heart disease care is promoting the creation of a national database for registering the organization, resources, and related activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Health Secretary of Mexico adopted a Spanish registration model to design a survey for obtaining a national Mexican reference in congenital heart disease. This survey was distributed to all directors of medical and/or surgical health care centers for congenital heart disease in Mexico. This communication presents the results obtained in relation to organization, resources and activities performed during the last year 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the 22 health care centers which answered the survey 10 were reference centers (45%) and 12 were assistant centers (55%). All of them are provided with cardiologic auxiliary diagnostic methods. Except one, all centers have at least one bidimentional echocardiography apparatus. There is a general deficit between material and human resources detected in our study. Therapeutic actions for congenital heart disease (70% surgical and 30% therapeutical interventionism) show a clear centralization tendency for this kind of health care in Mexico City, Monterrey and finally Guadalajara.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the participation of almost all cardiac health centers in Mexico, our study provides an important information related to organization, resources, and medical and/or surgical activities for congenital heart disease. The data presented not only show Mexican reality, but allows us to identify better the national problematic for establishing priorities and propose solution alternatives.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calderón-Colmenero
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De-la-Llata
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vizcaíno
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bolio
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002309:Cardiology; D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003935:Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006306:Health Surveys; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006782:Hospitals, Special / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000600:supply & distribution; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / Q000600:supply & distribution; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013903:Thoracic Surgery; D000078329:Workforce