Comparison between countries in the Central America subregion

The information is organized according to the five main categories for implementing EHR systems:

  • Aspects specific to EHRBZ#00ffec0.0000
  • Patient data protection and secondary use of informationBZ#00ffec50.0000
  • Actions of health professionalsBZ#00ffec20.0000
  • Role of patients in relation to their health dataBZ#00ffec0.0000
  • Standards for health and EHR interoperabilityBZ#00ffec0.0000
  • Aspects specific to EHRCR#85c55575.0000
  • Patient data protection and secondary use of informationCR#85c555100.0000
  • Actions of health professionalsCR#85c55580.0000
  • Role of patients in relation to their health dataCR#85c555100.0000
  • Standards for health and EHR interoperabilityCR#85c555100.0000
  • Aspects specific to EHRSV#189775100.0000
  • Patient data protection and secondary use of informationSV#189775100.0000
  • Actions of health professionalsSV#18977560.0000
  • Role of patients in relation to their health dataSV#189775100.0000
  • Standards for health and EHR interoperabilitySV#1897750.0000
  • Aspects specific to EHRGT#3b9ac30.0000
  • Patient data protection and secondary use of informationGT#3b9ac350.0000
  • Actions of health professionalsGT#3b9ac340.0000
  • Role of patients in relation to their health dataGT#3b9ac375.0000
  • Standards for health and EHR interoperabilityGT#3b9ac30.0000
  • Aspects specific to EHRHN#2a83170.0000
  • Patient data protection and secondary use of informationHN#2a831750.0000
  • Actions of health professionalsHN#2a831740.0000
  • Role of patients in relation to their health dataHN#2a831775.0000
  • Standards for health and EHR interoperabilityHN#2a83170.0000
  • Aspects specific to EHRMX#ff6f0075.0000
  • Patient data protection and secondary use of informationMX#ff6f00100.0000
  • Actions of health professionalsMX#ff6f00100.0000
  • Role of patients in relation to their health dataMX#ff6f00100.0000
  • Standards for health and EHR interoperabilityMX#ff6f00100.0000
  • Aspects specific to EHRNI#414cb00.0000
  • Patient data protection and secondary use of informationNI#414cb0100.0000
  • Actions of health professionalsNI#414cb060.0000
  • Role of patients in relation to their health dataNI#414cb075.0000
  • Standards for health and EHR interoperabilityNI#414cb00.0000
  • Aspects specific to EHRPA#26488625.0000
  • Patient data protection and secondary use of informationPA#26488675.0000
  • Actions of health professionalsPA#26488640.0000
  • Role of patients in relation to their health dataPA#26488675.0000
  • Standards for health and EHR interoperabilityPA#26488650.0000

Region: América Central

In this section, all the countries of the subregión de América Central are distributed according to the progress made on their regulatory framework for implementing electronic health records.

  • Belize15,794BZ#00ffec
  • Belize15,794BZ#00ffec
  • Belize15,794BZ#00ffec
  • Belize15,794BZ#00ffec
  • Costa Rica89,479CR#85c555
  • Costa Rica89,479CR#85c555
  • Costa Rica89,479CR#85c555
  • Costa Rica89,479CR#85c555
  • El Salvador78,9512SV#189775
  • El Salvador78,9512SV#189775
  • El Salvador78,9512SV#189775
  • El Salvador78,9512SV#189775
  • Guatemala36,8413GT#3b9ac3
  • Guatemala36,8413GT#3b9ac3
  • Guatemala36,8413GT#3b9ac3
  • Guatemala36,8413GT#3b9ac3
  • Honduras36,8416HN#2a8317
  • Honduras36,8416HN#2a8317
  • Honduras36,8416HN#2a8317
  • Honduras36,8416HN#2a8317
  • México94,7418MX#ff6f00
  • México94,7418MX#ff6f00
  • México94,7418MX#ff6f00
  • México94,7418MX#ff6f00
  • Nicaragua52,6319NI#414cb0
  • Nicaragua52,6319NI#414cb0
  • Nicaragua52,6319NI#414cb0
  • Nicaragua52,6319NI#414cb0
  • Panama52,6320PA#264886
  • Panama52,6320PA#264886
  • Panama52,6320PA#264886
  • Panama52,6320PA#264886
  • 0
  • 25
  • 50
  • 75 100

Map mode

  • Countries
  • Heat map
image/svg+xml

Categories and dimensions for: América Central

This section presents the level of progress of the subregión de América Central in developing the different dimensions of the five categories being analyzed.

Aspects specific to EHR
Patient data protection and secondary use of information
Actions of health professionals
Role of patients in relation to their health data
Standards for health and EHR interoperability

Country-by-country breakdown of: Central America

This section provides links to the main legal texts of each country for the different categories and dimensions of their regulatory framework.

Specific regulations on EHR
  • No data to display
Type of information in EHR
  • No data to display
Minimum data to be included in EHR
  • No data to display
Regulations on the transition from paper to electronic health records
  • No data to display
Personal data protection
Information exchange at the national level
Security in storing patient data
  • No data to display
Secondary use of health information
  • No data to display
Digital signature of professionals
  • No data to display
Electronic documents
Access restrictions
  • No data to display
Access in emergencies
  • No data to display
Electronic prescriptions
  • No data to display
Consent to use personal health data
  • No data to display
Patient identification and authentication
  • No data to display
Patients’ right to edit their personal health data
  • No data to display
Patients' access to their personal health data
  • No data to display
Interoperability and standards
  • No data to display
Codes and standards for health
  • No data to display
Specific regulations on EHR
Type of information in EHR
Minimum data to be included in EHR
  • No data to display
Regulations on the transition from paper to electronic health records
  • Law No. 9162

    Unified Digital Health Record - Sole Transition Provision

Personal data protection
Information exchange at the national level
  • Law No. 9162

    Unified Digital Health Record - Sole Transition Provision, Article 5

Security in storing patient data
Secondary use of health information
  • Law No. 8968

    Protection of Individuals Regarding the Processing of Their Personal Data Act, Articles 8 and 9

Digital signature of professionals
Electronic documents
  • Law No. 8454

    Certificates, Digital Signatures, and Electronic Documents Act, Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7

Access restrictions
Access in emergencies
  • No data to display
Electronic prescriptions
  • Law No. 9162

    Unified Digital Health Record - Article 5

  • Decree No. 39984-S

    Regulations for the use and operation of the automated digital prescription system for psychotropic and narcotic drugs

Consent to use personal health data
Patient identification and authentication
Patients’ right to edit their personal health data
  • Law No. 8968

    Protection of Individuals Regarding the Processing of Their Personal Data Act, Article 7

Patients' access to their personal health data
  • Law No. 8968

    Protection of Individuals Regarding the Processing of Their Personal Data Act, Article 7

  • Ley 8239

    Derechos y deberes de las personas usuarias de los servicios de salud públicos y privados Art# 2

Interoperability and standards
  • No. 39652-S-MICIT

    Regulations on the use of health data standards in patient care and creation of the National Health Data Standardization Committee

Codes and standards for health
  • No. 39652-S-MICIT

    Regulations on the use of health data standards in patient care and creation of the National Health Data Standardization Committee

Specific regulations on EHR
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records

Type of information in EHR
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records

Minimum data to be included in EHR
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records

Regulations on the transition from paper to electronic health records
  • Resolution No. 941

    Chapter VI - Transition, final, and repealing provisions - Transition Provision - Article 87 Public and private institutions that do not meet the security requirements established in Chapters III and IV of this regulation shall prepare a plan for compliance with these provisions within a period of no less than five years

Personal data protection
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records, Article 1

  • Decree No. 307

    Duties and Rights of Patients and Health Care Providers Act, Article 33

Information exchange at the national level
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records, Article 75

Security in storing patient data
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records, Article 12

  • Decree No. 133

    Electronic Signature Act, Article 14

Secondary use of health information
  • Decree No. 307

    Duties and Rights of Patients and Health Care Providers Act, Article 16

Digital signature of professionals
Electronic documents
Access restrictions
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records - Article 23

  • Decree No. 307

    Duties and Rights of Patients and Health Care Providers Act, Article 33

Access in emergencies
  • No data to display
Electronic prescriptions
  • No data to display
Consent to use personal health data
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records - Article 11

Patient identification and authentication
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records - Article 13

Patients’ right to edit their personal health data
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records - Article 7

Patients' access to their personal health data
  • Resolution No. 941

    Technical regulation on the composition, custody, and querying of medical records - Articles 6 and 60

Interoperability and standards
  • No data to display
Codes and standards for health
  • No data to display
Specific regulations on EHR
  • No data to display
Type of information in EHR
  • No data to display
Minimum data to be included in EHR
  • No data to display
Regulations on the transition from paper to electronic health records
  • No data to display
Personal data protection
Information exchange at the national level
  • No data to display
Security in storing patient data
  • No data to display
Secondary use of health information
Digital signature of professionals
Electronic documents
  • Decree No. 47-2008

    Does not refer to health. Decree No. 47-2008 Recognition of Electronic Communications and Signatures Act, Article 1. The legal and technical certainty of electronic contracts, communications, and signatures must be ensured by establishing their functional equivalence to paper-based documents and handwritten signatures.

  • Government Resolution No. 135-2009

    Regulations of the Recognition of Electronic Communications and Signatures Act Government Resolution

  • Resolution No. 262-2009

    Amendments to the regulations of the Recognition of Electronic Communications and Signatures Act

Access restrictions
  • No data to display
Access in emergencies
  • No data to display
Electronic prescriptions
  • No data to display
Consent to use personal health data
Patient identification and authentication
  • No data to display
Patients’ right to edit their personal health data
Patients' access to their personal health data
Interoperability and standards
  • No data to display
Codes and standards for health
  • No data to display
Specific regulations on EHR
  • No data to display
Type of information in EHR
  • No data to display
Minimum data to be included in EHR
  • No data to display
Regulations on the transition from paper to electronic health records
  • No data to display
Personal data protection
Information exchange at the national level
  • No data to display
Security in storing patient data
  • No data to display
Secondary use of health information
Digital signature of professionals
  • Decree No. 149-2013

    Electronic Signatures Act, Article 2

  • Decree No. 33-2020

    No. 35217 of April 3, 2020: Relief for the Productive Sector and Workers from the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic Act - Article 38

Electronic documents
Access restrictions
  • No data to display
Access in emergencies
  • No data to display
Electronic prescriptions
  • No data to display
Consent to use personal health data
  • Decree No. 170-2006

    Transparency and Access to Public Information Act and its regulations - Article 42

Patient identification and authentication
  • No data to display
Patients’ right to edit their personal health data
  • Decree No. 170-2006

    Transparency and Access to Public Information Act and its regulations - Article 46

Patients' access to their personal health data
  • Decree No. 170-2006

    Transparency and Access to Public Information Act and its regulations - Articles 3 and 49

Interoperability and standards
  • No data to display
Codes and standards for health
  • No data to display
Specific regulations on EHR
  • NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information - Article 10

Type of information in EHR
  • NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information appendix B

  • NOM-024-SSA3-2012

    Electronic record information systems for health. Health Information Exchange

Minimum data to be included in EHR
  • NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information appendix B

Regulations on the transition from paper to electronic health records
  • No data to display
Personal data protection
Information exchange at the national level
  • NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information - Article 10

Security in storing patient data
  • NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information - Article 5

Secondary use of health information
  • NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information - Article 10 - Regulatory appendix 3.3.7

Digital signature of professionals
  • NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information - Articles 3.14 and 5.1.15

  • Law No. DOF 11-01-2012

    Electronic signatures

Electronic documents
Access restrictions
  • NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information - Article 5.1.15

  • NOM-035-SSA3-2012 Health information - Article 3.1
Access in emergencies
Electronic prescriptions
  • NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information - Regulatory appendix A: 1.2.1

Consent to use personal health data
  • DOF 11-01-2012

    Decree issuing the Advanced Electronic Signature Law. Article 8

Patient identification and authentication
  • Official Mexican Standard NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information - Article 5

Patients’ right to edit their personal health data
  • DOF 11-01-2012

    Decree issuing the Advanced Electronic Signature Law. Article 22

Patients' access to their personal health data
  • DOF 11-01-2012

    Decree issuing the Advanced Electronic Signature Law. Article 22

Interoperability and standards
  • Official Mexican Standard NOM-024-SSA3-2010

    Establishes the functional objectives and functionalities that products of the Electronic Health Record Systems should have in order to ensure the interoperability, processing, interpretation, confidentiality, and security of information in electronic health records, as well as the use of standards and catalogs for that information. Another reason why regulating the use of Electronic Health Records is essential is that doing so will make health information available when making decisions during everything from patient care to public health policy development. This will be made possible by establishing national standards and catalogs that ensure the interoperability of existing applications at the various public, private, and social institutions that provide health services to the public.

Codes and standards for health
  • Official Mexican Standard NOM-024-SSA3-2010, Section 3.14 Codes:

    Referring to a vocabulary, set of codes, databases, terminologies, or catalogs. 3.17 Classification of procedures in medicine: Mandatory standard in Mexico for coding and generating statistics for both surgical and non-surgical (diagnostic and therapeutic) medical procedures for national comparability purposes. This standard uses the version currently in force in Mexico 3.18 International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems: International standard that is mandatory in Mexico for coding and generating uniform morbidity and mortality statistics for national and international comparability purposes. This standard uses the version currently in force in Mexico. 3.19 International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health : International standard that is mandatory in Mexico for studying, coding, and generating functioning and disability statistics for national and international comparability purposes. This standard uses the version currently in force in Mexico

Specific regulations on EHR
  • No data to display
Type of information in EHR
  • No data to display
Minimum data to be included in EHR
  • No data to display
Regulations on the transition from paper to electronic health records
  • No data to display
Personal data protection
Information exchange at the national level
Security in storing patient data
Secondary use of health information
Digital signature of professionals
Electronic documents
Access restrictions
Access in emergencies
  • No data to display
Electronic prescriptions
  • No data to display
Consent to use personal health data
Patient identification and authentication
  • No data to display
Patients’ right to edit their personal health data
Patients' access to their personal health data
Interoperability and standards
  • No data to display
Codes and standards for health
  • No data to display
Specific regulations on EHR
  • Resolution No. 0697

    Por medio de la cual se adopta el convenio para el sistema electrónico de información de salud (SEIS)

  • Resolution No. 945

    Approves the organizational structure of the teams responsible for implementing the Electronic Health Information System (SEIS) and of the electronic clinical records. It also includes a procedure manual for SEIS users and an SEIS implementation agreement.

Type of information in EHR
  • No data to display
Minimum data to be included in EHR
  • No data to display
Regulations on the transition from paper to electronic health records
  • No data to display
Personal data protection
Information exchange at the national level
  • Law No. 43

    Defines and regulates electronic documents and signatures and certification entities in e-commerce and the exchange of electronic documents

Security in storing patient data
  • Law No. 68

    Regulates the rights and obligations of patients regarding information and free and informed decision-making— Article 48

Secondary use of health information
  • Law No. 68

    Regulates the rights and obligations of patients regarding information and free and informed decision-making—Article 45

Digital signature of professionals
  • No data to display
Electronic documents
  • No data to display
Access restrictions
  • Law No. 68

    Regulates the rights and obligations of patients regarding information and free and informed decision-making— Article 48

Access in emergencies
  • Law No. 68

    Regulates the rights and obligations of patients regarding information and free and informed decision-making— Article 67

Electronic prescriptions
  • Law No. 97-2019

    Amends and adds articles to Law No. 1 of 2001 on medicines and other human health products, Article 16

Consent to use personal health data
  • Executive Decree No. 1458

    Establishes the implementing regulations for Law No. 68 of November 20, 2003, which regulates the rights and obligations of patients regarding information and free and informed decision-making—Chapter III

Patient identification and authentication
  • Executive Decree No. 1458

    Establishes the implementing regulations for Law No. 68 of November 20, 2003, which regulates the rights and obligations of patients regarding information and free and informed decision-making—Article 47

Patients’ right to edit their personal health data
  • No data to display
Patients' access to their personal health data
  • Executive Decree No. 1458

    Establishes the implementing regulations for Law No. 68 of November 20, 2003, which regulates the rights and obligations of patients regarding information and free and informed decision-making—Article 7

Interoperability and standards
Codes and standards for health
  • No data to display

This dashboard reflects the results of a survey and analysis of 115 legal texts, most of which were accessed on the legal information web portals of the 26 countries in the region. The conceptual framework used to create the dashboard is based on the findings of the literature on this field. Three studies in particular were key to the tool’s development: