Medellin has experienced rapid economic growth over the last fifteen years, leading to social and urban transformation. This is partly why the city is such a popular destination with tourists – not only can they learn about the Paisa culture of the region, but they can also enjoy better hotels, public transport, museums, etc. compared to many other Latin American cities. However, not all of these tourists come to Medellin to take in the city; some of them are there for medical tourism.
An overview of medical tourism in Medellin
For some, the term “medical tourism” conjures up images of poorly regulated clinics, where international patients get risky surgeries. In Medellin, though, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The city has numerous health centers that specialize in things like oncology, cardiology, and organ transplants; visitors also come to Medellin for dental procedures and cosmetic surgery. Estimates put the number of medical tourists at around 15,000 each year.
Of course, there is one similarity between Medellin’s top hospitals and unregulated clinics in Mexico, Turkey, or elsewhere: the significantly lower cost. For people who are coming from North America or Europe, they could save thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars by having their procedures performed in Medellin.
For over a decade, the Medellin Health Cluster has driven the growth of the medical tourism industry. This is a partnership between the Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor’s office, and various health institutions. The network of providers is broad and competitive, containing 43 private and public institutions that provide various medical treatments. These treatments are in the fields of fertility, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, cosmetic surgery, cardiovascular procedures, and more. Plus, thanks to continuing investment in Medellin’s medical industry, the city’s top facilities are supplied with cutting-edge equipment and highly trained staff.
Getting a visa for medical tourism
For tourists who visit Colombia from North America, South America, Europe, and the Caribbean Islands, no visa application is needed; they can just get a passport stamp that allows them to stay in the country for 90 days. This stamp can also be renewed for another 90 days, for a total of 6 months without any visa application needed. For medical tourists, though, this may not be enough. If the process or recovery will take more than 6 months, they might have to get a medical visa as well. Colombia issues this visa for stays of between 90 days and 2 years, for a cost of $225. If a lawyer or visa agency is used, this cost will likely be higher. There are quite a few complex procedures available from Medellin hospitals, and this visa makes them more accessible to medical tourists.
The best hospitals in Medellin
According to a study published by America Economia, 8 of Latin America’s top 44 hospitals are in Medellin. These are their names and rankings:
- Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, at #9
- Hospital Universitario de San Vicente Fundacion, at #16
- Clinica las Americas, at #20
- Hospital General de Medellin, at #29
- Clinica Universitaria Bolivariana, at #33
- Clinica Medellin, at #37
- Clinica el Rosario, at #41
- Clinica CardioVid, at #42
If that isn’t impressive enough, the WHO ranked Colombia’s healthcare system at #22 out of 191 countries. This puts the country ahead of the United States (#37), Australia (#32), Canada (#30), and Germany (#25). Colombia also got the highest rating of any Latin American country.
What are the most popular medical procedures in Medellin?
Although it’s possible to get pretty much any medical procedure done in Medellin, there are a few areas of specialization that the city’s healthcare facilities have mastered.
- Organ transplants
Colombia’s first heart transplant was successfully performed in 1985, at Medellin’s Clinica CardioVid. Since then, several of Medellin’s hospitals have gone on to develop specializations in organ transplants.
One factor that helped this happen was the creation of the National Network of Donation and Transplant of Organs and Tissues. Initiated by the Colombian government in 2004, the aim of this network was to encourage organ donation, and regulate the industry to make it more efficient. The program has clearly had a positive effect, since the number of organs available for transplant have increased every year since it was started. From 2016 to 2018, there was a whopping 21% increase in organ transplant procedures.
As far as Medellin is concerned, the Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, the Fundacion Universitaria San Vicente de Paul, and the Universidad de Antioquia have all played a part in advancing the city’s organ transplantation efforts.
- Heart disease
While the top hospitals in Medellin have a huge variety of treatments available, some of them specialize in heart disease. One of these hospitals is the Hospital Universitario de San Vicente Fundacion, which has a Cardiopulmonary and Peripheral Vascular Center. Clinics in Medellin offer services such as:
- Hemodynamics
- Coronary revascularization
- Pacemaker implantation
- Electrophysiology
- Correction of peripheral and congenital vascular heart disease
- Management of cardiac arrythmias
- Minimally invasive heart surgery
- Thoracic surgery
- Open heart surgery
- Pediatric cardiology
- Clinical cardiology
- Angioplasties
In addition to current treatments available, some of Medellin’s top universities put a strong emphasis on medical and scientific research. This research has helped move the city’s medical industry forward, benefitting both residents and visitors.
- Therapy and rehabilitation treatments
Most discussions of medical tourism in Medellin focus on drastic surgeries, but sometimes a different type of treatment is needed. Examples of the treatments available in Medellin include psychology, speech therapy, physiotherapy, and physiatry.
- Cosmetic surgery
The area’s hospitals don’t just provide life-saving medical treatments; specialists throughout Medellin offer a variety of plastic surgeries as well. According to the International Society of Plastic Surgery, Colombia is #4 in the world for the number of plastic surgeries performed. Popular procedures include:
- Abdominoplasties
- Rhinoplasties
- Blepharoplasties
- Breast augmentations
- Liposuction
It’s clear to see why medical tourism in Medellin has become so popular
The city’s top medical facilities are at the same level as many other highly rated hospitals all over the world, and yet they provide their services for a fraction of the cost. All things considered, it’s no wonder that so many people travel to Medellin for affordable, effective medical procedures.
