Many individuals outside of Colombia have a broad mis-conception as to what the healthcare conditions are like in the Colombia. However, the numbers actually speak for themselves with the country pulling in over $356 million dollars in revenue from foreigners in 2013 and 2014 with double that in 2015 alone. If that isn’t enough, here are the facts in detail that I pulled from one of our brochures we use when presenting Medellín, Colombia as a medical tourism destination for our clients:
The “Sociedad Colombiana de Cirugía Plástica, Estética y Reconstructiva” or in English; The Colombian Society for Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery is a Global Alliance Partner of IPRAS or the (International Confederation for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery)
How IPRAS Promotes Safety Internationally
Surgeon qualifications. IPRAS promotes global safety in aesthetic plastic surgery by ensuring that members are highly qualified. Patients can be confident that IPRAS members belong to their leading national societies of plastic surgery, have a record of being safe and ethical, and have been in active practice for at least 3 years.
Surgeon training. To promote aesthetic education worldwide, the IPRAS Education Council offers symposia, endorsed programs and instructional courses to members. The IPRAS Visiting Professors Program takes aesthetic education to countries around the world making training in the latest techniques and advances more accessible to a greater population of surgeons.
When working with Colombian Board Certified surgeons you are assured they are practicing at a standard that is equal to the surgeons in the United States and as a side note the amount of Colombian surgeons that are American IPRAS and ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) members is growing everyday.
Outside of certification, membership also requires a plastic surgeon to regularly attend continuing medical education courses, perform a minimum amount of aesthetic plastic surgery procedures and to adhere to a code of ethics.
More about IPRAS here http://www.ipras.org/
More about ISAPS here http://www.isaps.org/
What about the medical facilities?
AAAASFI Certification
The American Association for Accreditation for Ambulatory Surgery Facilities International, (AAAASFI) has developed a global program to inspect and accredit surgery and dental clinics who exceed superior standards. All accredited clinics must pass inspection of all practice standards in the following categories: General environment and safety, Operating room environment, Policies and procedures, Recovery room environment, Blood and medications, Medical records, Quality assessment, Personnel and staff and Anesthesia.
In the city of Medellín where Medical Tourism in Colombia operates, there are 3 clinics that have this obtained this certification.
More about the American Association for Accreditation for Ambulatory Surgery Facilities International here http://www.aaaasfi.org/
Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation
A globally recognized achievement in quality improvement and patient safety. An elite group of over 700 organizations that have achieved Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation and earned the Gold Seal of Approval® in quality and patient safety.
4 hospitals in Colombia have obtained this certification including the #9 ranked hospital (Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe) in all of Latin American located in Medellín.
* Rankings via Ránking Mejores Hospitales y Clínicas 2015
More about Joint International Commission here http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/
National Standards
On a national level all clinics, operating rooms and hospitals in the city are overseen and supervised by the Colombian government program from the Minister of Health called “Supersalud”, which is partnered with the World Health Organization to protect the Health rights of individuals in the country through transparent and opportune monitoring, surveillance and control mechanisms.
The National Superintendence of Health in Colombia will is recognized nationally and internationally, as the leading entity of the inspection, surveillance, and monitor system of the health sector and protects the rights of the health users taking into account prevention and efficiency, offering sustainability and trustworthiness to the health system and its orders.
More about Supersalud here
https://www.supersalud.gov.co/en-us/
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