Step 1: Contact medicaltraveldirect@gmail.com and let us know what treatments or procedures you are looking for or search our Directory and contact the healthcare provider directly.
Step 2: Medical Evaluation: We will put you in touch with our top healthcare providers so you can set up a ZOOM type Medical evaluation to see if you are a good candidate and the procedure or treatment is right for you. You will also be able to get pricing. The medical evaluation may have a small charge.
Step 3: Travel and Concierge Services: Your healthcare provider may have a travel program even an ALL-INCLUSIVE type option which will will include all healthcare costs as well as airport pick up and return, hotel, transportation to all of your appointments including a bi-lingual concierge to guide you every step of the way or you can contact our Travel Services at Enjoytraveldirect@gmail.com and we can arrange everything for you or give you suggestions if you prefer to make your own travel arrangements.
Step 4: Payments: Your trip consists of several elements which are paid separately.
- Flights and hotel - you will make these reservations and you pay the airline and the hotel directly. This saves you money versus paying a travel agency. Some of our hotels offer international patients special discounts to ProManizales.com.
- Healthcare Provider - you pay the healthcare provider generally once you get here and everything is a GO. Most of our healthcare providers do not require ANY upfront payments except the Medical Evaluation. There is a good reason for this. The healthcare provider will not perform any surgery, treatments or procedures until he or she has conducted pre-op exams and tests and determined that you are a good candidate and the process can continue.
- Concierge and Other Services - if your program includes Concierge, transportation or tours either before or after your treatments or procedures, the payment for these services are made directly to the Provider.
Step 5: Your Surgery or other Treatments or Procedures: The next step of course is to have your surgery, treatment or procedures. Our healthcare providers are highly experienced with international patients and can guide you every step of the way.
Step 6: Recovery: Many treatments and procedures are out patient type (eye, dental, plastic surgery or beauty treatments) or require a short stay in the hospital (bariatric, orthopedic) or a longer stay (heart, spinal). Generally, surgical procedures will require a minimum stay in Colombia of 7 to 14 days. This is to provide time for recovery, follow up exams and formal release to travel.
Healthcare in the US is the highest cost per person in the world. While most Americans have insurance, the cost is very high, deductibles and co-pays are very high and the wait times can be long. In Canada and in Europe where countries have government healthcare, the wait times can be over a year.
Every year, millions travel from their home country to other countries because they have learned that the cost is much lower and the quality is just as good, if not better.
Often people will extend their stay in the other country for a vacation or recovery which is why it is referred to as medical tourism. It is a $50 to $100 billion a year industry worldwide. Mexico has become a major destination for dental and bariatric surgery attracting over 1 million medical tourists per year.
Wellness tourism is a much bigger market worldwide with estimates of $750 billion per year and projected to continue to grow at high rates. Wellness focuses more on preventative care (comprehensive health checks to identify potential health risks early while they are still curable) and things like yoga, Ayurveda, weight loss and strength training.
Every year, America Economia ranks the best hospitals in Latin America. Colombia is consistently No 1 with over 20 hospital in the top 60 and 5 in the top 10. No other country comes close. Most Latin American countries only have one or two in the top 60 and they are located in just the biggest cities. Colombia´s top hospitals are located in the big cities like Bogota, Medellin and Cali but also in smaller cities like Bucaramanga and Manizales. In addition, Colombia certifies its hospitals through ICONTEC which is accredited through ISQua one of the two major international hospital accrediting agencies recommended by the American Medical Association (AMA). The other the AMA recommends is the Joint Commission International (JCI). Several Colombian hospitals are accredited by both JCI and ISQua as well as over 30 hospitals accredited by ICONTEC.
Colombian healthcare providers are struggling financially due to problems with the government EPS healthcare program which is delinquent in payments owing millions to healthcare providers.
Generally, people choose medical tourism because they do not have insurance coverage or they are under insured. So they are paying CASH.
The best treatments to offer international patients are:
- Dental
- Eye
- Bariatric surgery
- Wellness and weight loss
- Orthopedic
- Heart
- Cancer and other chronic disesases