The application of clear licensing criteria should underpin this in practice. Creation of academic departments ofprimary care in Mexican medical schools to undertake research in primary care, develop clinical guidelines specific to primary' care, as well as teach the speciality, would support this. Development of the information infrastructure underlying primary care will also be critical, so that a richer picture of the effectiveness, safety and patient centredness of primary care can be built. Candidate indicators would be around prevention and management of chronic diseases, elderly care, child health and mental health care, as well as patient experience. Linked to this, Mexico should consider the introduction of a system to allow all patients to register formally with a named primary care specialist, as happens in the SS institutes and in many other OECD health systems.