Medical Tourism Colombia 

Colombia has been treating foreign patients for years, especially for cosmetic and eye surgery. Colombia has also provides advanced cardiovascular and transplant surgery. What often compels persons to seek transplant surgery offshore is not only cost considerations, but waiting lists (such as in the US) or the lack of an organized organ inventory and donor system in the home country. Colombia has such an organ donor and banking system which makes organs available to foreigners with certain legal restrictions. Orthopedic surgeries, such as knee and hip replacements, are done in Colombia with US-made, (FDA-approved) prosthetics at a fraction of the cost.

Colombia has many surgeons that have either trained and/or practiced in other countries such as the US and Europe. Salaries for doctors, nurses, and supporting personnel in Colombia are about 20% of US salaries for similar occupations even though they are required to have the same level of education and job skills. Real estate costs related to medical care facilities are also a fraction of what they are in the US

Like Brazil, ease of travel and relative proximity from the US and Canada is an advantage. Colombia offers cheaper airfares from the US and Canada (and some European countries) than other more-distant destinations, and does not have the visa restrictions of other countries currently in the medical tourism market. However, as of early 2008, no Colombian hospital has obtained JCI accreditation.

With the increasing costs of medical procedures in the US, South America is becoming a popular option among medical tourists looking for cheaper yet equally reliable healthcare. Health services in Colombia are on a par with top Western practices, but at a fraction of the cost.

The Colombian government has spent considerable resources in recent years in promoting a safe and tourist friendly environment for visitors. Following a substantial increase in visitors to Colombia, the niche for medical tourism was identified and has become a leading attraction for both American and European health travelers.

Some people believe that Colombia, like the Philippines, has too many schools of medicine and dental science. This means that dental and medical care in Colombia is very competitive.

There are 44 million people in Colombia. They have 24,000 dentists and 12,000 of them are in private practice. They don’t have the overhead, liability insurance expenses or the greed of North American dentists. Their professional credentials and training are just as good, and their fees are much less.

For quality and price, the best two places in the world for cosmetic plastic surgery (medical tourism) are Colombia and India. For Americans and Canadians, considering the price of airfare, Colombia is clearly the winner. Airfare to Colombia is around $500 round trip.