Colombia

Colombian healthcare includes both public and private systems, thanks to a statutory law that establishes health as a fundamental right. Although the destination struggles with public coverage in rural areas and small towns, Colombia’s three largest cities (Bogota, Medellin, and Cali) account for 95% of health coverage. That means that both the private and the public hospitals are in the most populated areas, with the private health sector providing more than 50% of health services in the destination. In its quest to rebrand itself as more than a home for narco-terrorism, Colombia was an early adopter of medical tourism. As a result, it holds six of the top 16 hospitals in South America, many of which are constructed to look appealing to medical tourists. International Accrediation has become the norm for all international hospitals inside Colombian borders. Colombia’s early successes have made medical tourism a major pillar in the country’s continued economic evolution, and authorities are hoping to increase the incoming patient load to 2.8 million by 2032.

It ranks 10th for Culture and 15th for Medical Tourism, alongside average marks in healthcare categories. However, the MTI’s American audience ranked it 37th for Economy & Safety – just above Saudi Arabia – a perception that likely is not helped by popular Netflix shows like Narcos that bring the Escobar narrative to new generations. Colombia continues to rake in huge profits from the thousands of patients it attracts, but it still faces a perception problem with some American audiences.

*Based on the 2020 – 2021 Global MTI (Medical Tourism Index) Report published by the Medical Tourism Association.*