The health system for any country is one of the top priorities to guarantee the proper development for their citizens. For the specific case of Mexico, management of medical records is still being done using physical files whether patient attends a public or private physician or hospital. This poses a potential problem for the health structure and the patient because physical files tend to deteriorate, damage, could be stolen or mishandled. One possibility is to evolve from the use of physical files and create electronic medical records. Mexico already has an official standard for medical records; this standard could serve as the foundation to devise an electronic universal record. The idea for the electronic universal record is to serve as the base to implement an electronic public health scheme. This article will provide several key aspects to take into account in order to provide an efficient, secure and cost efficient electronic medical record. Aspects to be considered include: standardized medical nomenclature, clinical procedures, data transmission standards, legal aspects, electronic security, and data storage schemes. The impact of this proposal for Mexico will be discussed in detail.