Metrics, Leadership and Capacity: Advancing Integrated Care in Latin America

As part of the activities surrounding the International Conference on Integrated Care 2026, the International Foundation for Integrated Care Latin America (IFIC LatAm) organised the Latin American Virtual Conference Day on Monday, 13 April 2026, entitled: “Metrics, leadership, and capacities for integrated care: lessons from complexity in Latin America.”

The initiative emerged in recognition of the barriers that many researchers, practitioners, and health leaders in Latin America face when participating in international conferences in person. More than a parallel activity, the virtual conference aimed to create an accessible regional space for dialogue, exchange, and collective reflection on the future of integrated care in Latin America.

The event brought together approximately 120 participants from across the region and was coordinated by IFIC LatAm with the support of partner institutions and regional collaborators committed to strengthening equitable and people-centred health systems.

The conference was structured around three thematic components addressing critical dimensions for advancing integrated care in Latin America: health metrics and indicators, governance and leadership, and the capacities required to transform health systems.

The opening session, led by representatives of IFIC LatAm and the Health Equity Network of the Americas (HENA), also included a heartfelt tribute to Dr Rocío Sáenz Madrigal, whose leadership and commitment to health equity continue to inspire integrated care efforts across the region.

Measuring what matters

The first panel, “How do we measure health? Indicators for primary care-based health systems in Latin America,” explored the challenges of evaluating health systems in contexts marked by inequality, fragmentation, and social complexity.

Speakers from regional organisations and academic institutions reflected on the need to strengthen health information systems and develop indicators capable of capturing the realities of integrated and primary care-based systems. Discussions emphasised that measuring health goes beyond monitoring service delivery and must also incorporate dimensions such as equity, community participation, and social determinants of health.

The session highlighted the importance of building metrics that support decision-making while remaining responsive to the diversity of contexts across Latin America.

Leadership and governance for integrated care

The second component focused on governance and leadership as fundamental drivers of integrated care transformation.

Presentations examined how political stewardship, institutional coordination, and strategic leadership enable progress toward more sustainable and people-centred care models. Participants discussed the challenges of implementing integrated care within fragmented systems and stressed the importance of collaborative approaches capable of articulating actors across sectors and levels of care.

A key message emerging from the discussion was that integrated care cannot advance solely through technical reforms; it also requires leadership capable of building shared visions and sustaining long-term transformation processes.

Building capacities for health system transformation

The final session addressed the question: What capacities and competencies are required to strengthen integrated care in our region?

Speakers highlighted the need to strengthen technical, human, and collaborative competencies among health teams while also developing institutional capacities to respond to the increasing complexity of contemporary health systems.

The discussions reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary work, continuing professional development (CPD), and training processes grounded in equity, community engagement, and people-centred approaches.

Participants also emphasised that strengthening integrated care in Latin America depends not only on policies and models, but also on the people who lead, implement, and sustain transformation efforts within health systems and communities.

Strengthening regional collaboration

Beyond the academic content, the Latin American Virtual Conference Day became an important regional meeting space where experiences, challenges, and lessons learned converged. The active participation of representatives from multiple countries demonstrated the growing commitment across Latin America to advancing integrated, equitable, and resilient health systems.

The event reaffirmed the value of creating regional platforms for collective knowledge-building and collaboration, particularly in contexts where health systems continue to face profound social and structural challenges.

Through initiatives such as this virtual conference, IFIC LatAm continues to strengthen regional dialogue and contribute to the development of integrated care approaches that respond to the realities, diversity, and priorities of Latin America.