Latin America faces one of the most complex healthcare landscapes in the world, where fast-growing demand collides with deep structural inequities and limited resources. In this interview, Fabrizio Signorin, President Latin America at Siemens Healthineers, shares how the organisation is working with governments and providers to reimagine care delivery, expand access, and build more resilient health systems.
How can Siemens Healthineers help bridge healthcare gaps and expand access to quality care across Latin America?
Latin America is a region of immense potential, yet it continues to grapple with profound inequities. Almost 40 percent of the population still lives in poverty, with many unable to access basic healthcare services. At the same time, demographic shifts are dramatically increasing the strain on already overburdened systems. In Brazil, for example, 11 percent of the population is currently over 65, a proportion set to more than double within the next two decades. Combined with the growing prevalence of chronic disease, this will create extraordinary demand at a time when providers are already contending with rising costs, inflationary pressures, and tightening margins.
In this context, I see Siemens Healthineers as a fundamental strategic partner for Latin American healthcare systems, focused on catalysing transformation. Our role is multifaceted, but we are on a mission to bring quality healthcare access to everyone, everywhere, in a sustainable way. We aim at elevate Health in Latin America by focusing on our unique capabilities in patient twinning, precision therapy, and healthcare AI to improve clinical outcomes in the most prevalent non-communicable diseases such as neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, as well as stroke and cancer.
And we are perfectly positioned to support Healthcare providers to overcome their challenges in term of improving efficiency, improving Clinical excellence and expanding access to care.
We aim to democratize access to technology and innovation, expand our touch points with patients by bringing the latest solutions – whether in diagnostic imaging, laboratory diagnostics, advanced therapies, or digital health – in ways that are adapted to local realities. We are a company that manages disease and help saving lives and not simply sell technology. Healthcare AI will help reducing burden on physician, optimize procedures and efficiency and reduce variations of outrime, allowing more patients to receive quality care and healthcare provide to be more efficient.
There is no straightforward answer to such a complex equation, but what is clear is that no single actor can solve it alone. At Siemens Healthineers, we see our responsibility as working in concert with governments, payors, hospitals, clinics, and associations to enhance efficiency and productivity across the entire continuum of care. Technology and innovation are essential, but their true value lies in how effectively they are integrated into processes that address bottlenecks and optimise workflows. This is why we are investing more time with governments and healthcare partners to design new delivery models and rethink traditional approaches. If the region is to meet the needs of its expanding patient population without compromising quality, healthcare must be delivered differently. Our contribution is to bring not only advanced technologies but also people, skills, and a process-driven mindset to support this transformation.
What role does Latin America play within Siemens Healthineers’ global priorities, and how do you adapt your strategy to such a diverse region?
Latin America occupies a central place in Siemens Healthineers’ global agenda. Our headquarters follows developments here closely; every quarter, our CEO and the board of management meet directly with us to review performance and discuss how we are advancing our mission of improving lives through technology. This level of attention reflects both the importance of the region and the recognition that it cannot be approached in the same way as Europe or the United States. The dynamics here are more complex, and Siemens Healthineers relies on us to design strategies that reflect these realities. What I find especially valuable is the trust and autonomy we are given to take decisions locally, always with the responsibility of acting in the best interests of both the organisation and society.
Given the diversity of the region, our strategy necessarily varies by country and between the public and private sectors. Government-led projects are typically long-term, designed to improve population health and expand access to care on a wide scale. Private initiatives tend to move faster, often focused on individual hospitals or regions, and serve a smaller share of the population. Both models are essential and, in fact, complementary: the private sector allows us to deliver targeted solutions, while the public sector enables us to contribute to systemic transformation. For us, the priority is to strengthen our collaboration with both sectors ensuring that we can help them extend quality healthcare to as many people as possible across Latin America.
How is the integration with Varian strengthening your ability to address Latin America’s radiotherapy needs, and what role can public-private partnerships play in this area?
The integration of Varian has been a transformative step for Siemens Healthineers, enabling us to connect diagnostics and treatment in oncology more effectively. What we aim to deliver is not just individual technologies but a comprehensive approach that supports patients throughout their cancer journey, from diagnosis to therapy and follow-up. Oncology is rarely linear, and both patients and their families face uncertainty at each stage. By aligning our imaging expertise with Varian’s cancer care portfolio, underpinned by advanced informatics, we are able to create solutions that make this journey more seamless, improving outcomes while also enhancing the overall patient experience.
Equally important is the collaborative dimension. True progress requires working hand in hand with hospitals, providers, and governments, as no single player can meet the region’s needs alone. In this sense, public-private partnerships are essential to scaling access, accelerating the deployment of radiotherapy infrastructure, and ensuring that innovation reaches the widest possible population across Latin America.
A compelling example of this success is PER-SUS, in Brazil, a collaborative initiative between Varian and the Unified Health System (SUS). This program is actively expanding and establishing radiotherapy services in SUS hospitals, deploying linear accelerators to previously underserved regions. This strategic intervention means patients will no longer endure extensive travel for treatment, with an anticipated 100,000 additional patients gaining access to radiotherapy annually in Brazil through this initiative.
With obesity and cardiovascular disease on the rise, how are you advancing early screening, diagnostics, and treatment pathways for cardiometabolic conditions?
We are working on several fronts to address the growing burden of obesity and cardiovascular disease. Obesity, for example, affects not only the heart but also the liver, and one of the most meaningful advances in this field is the Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) Test. This non-invasive biomarker panel evaluates the degree of liver fibrosis and helps stratify the risk of progression without the need for a biopsy. It improves diagnostic accuracy while sparing patients from invasive procedures, which makes a tangible difference to their overall experience of care.
In cardiology, there is strong potential in combining angiography with CT imaging to guide interventions. CT-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a clear step in this direction, improving the precision of stent placement and lesion assessment. Solutions such as Nexaris Angio-CT and syngo DynaCT are helping to bring these integrated workflows into practice. Yet what ultimately creates impact is not technology in isolation but its integration into hospital processes. When applied effectively, these innovations shorten waiting times, increase throughput, and enable more patients to be treated, thereby improving both outcomes and the quality of the patient journey.
Where do you see the most immediate opportunities for AI in imaging and remote diagnostics, and how can these tools support fragmented health systems in Latin America?
Artificial intelligence is set to transform healthcare, and radiology illustrates this vividly. There is often apprehension that AI could one day replace radiologists, but in reality it serves as a complement rather than a substitute. The number of imaging studies grows each year, millions globally, which places immense pressure on specialists who may have only minutes to interpret each exam. Our solutions, such as AI-Rad Companion, are already automating repetitive tasks and highlighting critical findings, supporting radiologists in managing the growing volume, improving diagnostic accuracy, and providing greater confidence in clinical decisions. In this way, it empowers radiologists to concentrate on complex cases while ensuring consistent quality across an ever-increasing workload.
Furthermore, remote diagnostic platforms, combined with AI, democratize access to high-quality diagnostics, overcoming geographical barriers and the lack of local specialists. Regarding fragmented digital health policies, this is a challenge we address through proactive engagement with governments and regulators, sharing our global expertise and best practices for data standardization and interoperability. We develop flexible solutions that adapt to different local requirements and demonstrate the clinical and economic value of technology through concrete projects. A notable example is OpenCare 5G in Brazil, an initiative with Hospital das Clínicas and other partners, where we are exploring how 5G connectivity can revolutionize remote diagnostics and telemedicine, even in hard-to-reach areas.
Beyond imaging, we are seeing the emergence of AI agents capable of automating routine tasks. This has significant implications for healthcare providers in Latin America, where staff shortages and heavy workloads are common. By reducing administrative pressures, AI contributes to greater efficiency while also supporting the wellbeing of healthcare professionals. At Siemens Healthineers, we are investing in these applications not only for our partners but also within our own organisation to streamline operations. Ultimately, the value of AI lies in its ability to enhance the effectiveness of entire healthcare systems, making them more resilient and responsive even in environments where digital health policies remain fragmented.
How is Siemens Healthineers seeking to play a more proactive role in national or regional screening infrastructures, particularly in cancer and chronic disease?
This is an area where we are becoming increasingly active, supported by a stronger government affairs team. For us, it is essential to work in partnership with governments, patient associations, and other stakeholders to ensure that any programme is aligned with national priorities rather than implemented in isolation. Screening is only the first step; the greater challenge lies in ensuring that patients who receive a diagnosis can move without delay into treatment. That requires addressing bottlenecks across imaging, planning, and radiotherapy, while also supporting health systems with process-driven solutions that improve efficiency and throughput.
One concrete example is our Varian training centre in Jundiaí, São Paulo, which has recently been upgraded with the Halcyon radiotherapy system. Originally conceived as a hub for education and demonstration, it now provides training for clinicians and engineers from across Latin America to ensure they remain fully up to date with the latest technologies. We are also collaborating with organisations such as ABIFICC, the Brazilian Association of Philanthropic Cancer Institutions, to strengthen networks and share expertise. Ultimately, while advanced technology is indispensable, the decisive factor is process optimisation and collaboration, which together allow more patients to access timely, high-quality cancer care.
Given the diverging healthcare realities in markets like Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, how do you tailor your approach to ensure solutions are scalable yet context-specific?
Technology is an important part of the equation, but it is only one piece. Equally critical are people, processes, and the partnerships we build with governments and associations. Public hospitals, for instance, face resource constraints that make investment decisions complex, while private hospitals often enjoy greater flexibility. To deliver real value, we need to understand where the bottlenecks lie – whether in financing, workflows, or patient flow – and work together to design solutions that improve efficiency and throughput in a cost-sensitive way. This is why we are investing heavily in dialogue with stakeholders, strengthening our relationships, and focusing on the areas where the pressures are most acute.
Our approach is based on value partnerships rather than transactional sales. In private hospitals in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Chile, for example, we have collaborated to review radiology workflows, improving processes so that more patients can be treated without simply adding equipment. These experiences are now informing our work with public systems. Geography adds an additional layer of complexity. We have already initiated projects with hospitals in these areas to expand access, and we see opportunities to replicate this approach in other countries.
More broadly, the mindset in healthcare has shifted. In the past, providers might have requested another MRI machine, and the solution would have been to deliver it. Today we begin by asking a different question: what is the challenge you are trying to solve? Often the answer lies in addressing earlier points in the patient journey and optimising processes rather than simply adding capacity. By approaching healthcare in this way, we can create solutions that are both scalable and adaptable to the diverse and complex realities of Latin America.
How do your networks from previous leadership roles, such as at Stryker and ABIMED, help you contribute to wider policy dialogues on medtech, diagnostics, and access across the region?
Networks are fundamental because no one can drive change in healthcare alone. The environment is already complex and will become even more so, which makes it essential to remain closely connected to the medtech community, industry associations, and stakeholders. These relationships not only foster trust but also provide critical insight into where the sector is heading. Strategy, in many respects, is about recognising shifts early and positioning accordingly, and those signals are often not obvious, they are hidden within the system and only visible through active engagement.
By participating in these networks, you begin to see the challenges of today, anticipate those of tomorrow, and identify potential solutions. It is not a matter of looking inward and assuming we have all the answers, but of being part of something larger, listening to different perspectives, and working collaboratively. This collective approach allows us to contribute beyond our commercial objectives, helping to shape more sustainable policies and broaden access to healthcare across Latin America.
After one year leading Siemens Healthineers in Latin America, and 15 years living in the region, what is your vision for the organisation’s role moving forward, and what continues to inspire you personally?
Our ambition is to play a central role in the transformation of healthcare in Latin America and Elevate Health in the Region.
With our expertise in imaging, therapy, and diagnostics, we stand out in the industry. Our unique strengths allow us to pioneer breakthroughs in healthcare to tackle the most threatening disease that affect patients worldwide and in latin America, such as neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, as well as stroke and cancer.
We want hospitals, clinics, and governments to regard us as a trusted partner, not only for the technology we provide but also for the competence, professionalism, and dedication of our people.
We are perfectly positioned to support Healthcare providers to address their challenges of efficiency, Clinical excellence and access to care.
What has kept me here personally is the unique energy of the region. Latin America combines creativity, dynamism, and complexity, and that complexity constantly stimulates curiosity and problem-solving. Above all, it is the people – their warmth, openness, and sense of connection – that make working here so rewarding. To borrow a metaphor from gastronomy, the experience is “tasty”: it is rich, fulfilling, and meaningful because you can see the impact of your work on people’s lives.
My message to our Latin American stakeholders – CEOs, regulators, governments, peers, and even competitors – is that Siemens Healthineers has a clear and enduring purpose in this region, supported by deep expertise and the strong commitment of our Global Leadership to elevate health across Latin America. Behind the organisation is a team of people highly committed, dedicated and guided by strong integrity – focused on enabling transformation, to, strengthening partnerships, and expanding access to care. You can count on us to remain fully engaged in helping to build a stronger, more resilient healthcare ecosystem across Latin America.
