[Integration of the delivery of health services]

In Mexico the Constitution defines the right to health care as a social right and, as such, confers to the state the guiding role in the access of the population to health services. Unfortunately, this constitutional principle has not been fully met. One of the reasons for this is the fragmentation of public action in health and the continuous postponement of the integration of health services. In this paper the conceptual and practical limits of integration of health services are discussed, using as starting point a brief diagnosis of inequity and fragmentation of the health system in Mexico. The doctrinaire principles of integration are also described, as well as its practical advantages and disadvantages. Finally, a typology of forms of integration and previous integration experiences in Mexico are discussed. In the concluding remarks the integration prospects for Mexico are analyzed.