[Ideas contributing to the reform of the health sector in Chile]

General criteria are proposed for the organization of chilean health system. The fundamental ideas emphasize administrative decentralization, an effective and expedite intercommunication between different attention levels and a rationalization of the use of diagnostic procedures and treatments. The "basic health plan" features are outlined. The need for patient and family education and the access to tertiary medicine only through referrals is highlighted. The second part of article proposes changes in Medical Education. The need to reorient undergraduate medical formation towards solving outpatient problems and to extend specialization possibilities to all graduates, including Adult and Children general medicine training programs, is emphasized. The incorporation of basic economical concepts to the curriculum and group work training is considered beneficial. Finally, self-teaching behaviors and resolutive capacities in legal and ethical aspects should be encouraged in students. The potential teaching roles of future health reference, diagnostic and therapeutic centers is insinuated.