Hospitals / Clinics, A variety of excellent medical options exist depending on your needs Options

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MEDICAL TOURISM in Medellin

"Discover affordable medical & dental procedures"

* Clinics & Hospitals listed below

Medellin's prestige as an important center for medical treatment and aesthetic procedures has spread beyond the country's borders to accomodate patients from all over the globe! Every year, thousands of foreigners from Central America, the Caribbean, Israel, Spain, England, Italy and the United States come to the city of Medellin for medical procedures.

The most common treatments are plastic surgery, refractive surgery, dental procedures, transplants as well as treatments related to heart problems and cancer. Most clinics and hospitals are now aware of their international reach and have appointed staff to assist foreign patients. As well, third party groups have organized to help assist the medical tourism industry including "Salud Sin Fronteras (Health without Borders)".

There are many factors that help to make Medellin a leading city in this emerging industry.

LOCATION - One of the first and foremost factors is the amazing climate the city enjoys experiencing "spring-like" weather year round. This is mainly due to its location in the highland tropic regions of the northern Andes mountains. The near perfect weather makes recuperation as enjoyable as it can be and the after care quality is top notch to boot.

DOCTORS - Also a factor is the sheer amount of well qualified doctors and surgeons in the city that come from prestigious medical schools such as the University of Antioquia, the University Pontifica Bolivariana, the Fundación Universitaria San Martín and the Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud (CES) to name a few. Many doctors and dentists graduate and specialize from these medical institutions and centers. As well, a good number of local health professionals pursue their studies abroad, where they have the opportunity to receive additional training and expertise.

COST - Cost of treatment is a big incentive for most who decide to take the trip to Medellin for their elective surgery/procedure. Often times as much as 50% less than that of comparable procedures in the USA, Europe or elsewhere, it is easy to see how many patients ultimately choose Medellin as their destination of choice in the emerging medical tourism industry.

FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT - The various clinics and hospitals available in the city themselves warrant serious medical attention from integrity conscious patients. Equipped with state of the art facilities and cutting edge equipment, many of the options around town rate as good or better than their first world counterparts. In fact, Medellin has become one of the leading cities in all of South America for transplant procedures due to a program that was started more than 30 years ago. Today, Medellin holds several accolades for transplants in Colombia, Latin America as well as the world.

TRANSPLANT ACCOLADES:

1973 - First kidney transplant with live donor in Colombia.
1974 - First successful kidney transplant with cadaver donor in Colombia.
1976 - First liver transplant in Latin America
1976 - First alogenic bone marrow transplant in Latin America.
2001 - First umbilical cord cell transplant in Colombia.
2002 - Second larynx transplant in the world.
2003 - First trachea transplant in the world.
2003 - First combined larynx-trachea transplant in the world.
2004 - First thin intestine transplant in Colombia.
2004 - First autologous transplant of parent cells from bone marrow via intracoronary, for patients with isquemic cardiac illness in Colombia.

http://www.internationalmedicaltransplants.com/services.html

Clinics & Hospitals

Medellin General Hospital de Luz Castro de Gutiérrez
CARERRA 48 #32-102 TEL: (574) 384-7300
http://www.hgm.gov.co/ (*spanish only)

ISO certified, this public hospital started providing care to Medellin patients back in 1942. Complete with 341 hospital beds, it specializes in orthopedics & trauma, high risk obstetrics, hematology-oncology and the treatment of hemophilia. The individual care units of the hospital are emergency, surgery, gynecology & obstetrics, external consultation, hospitalization, pediatrics, clinical laboratory, imaging and intensive care units for adults and newborn babies. There is tomography & mammography equipment as well as equipment for video laparoscopy.

Clínica Medellín
DOWNTOWN & POBLADO
TEL: (574) 512-7320 (International Patients)
http://www.clinicamedellin.com/ (*spanish only)

A private institution, this clinic has two branches with one downtown and the other located in Poblado south of town. It was founded in the 1940's by Dr. Joaquín Aristizábal who was inspired by the infrastructure and organization of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. This Medellin medical landmark began providing services in 1997.

Clínica Medellín is a leader in adult surgery, and it has specialized congenital cardiopathysurgery. It is the only clinic to perform the procedure of laser transmyocardial revascularization, and it is a pioneer in the placement of endovascular prosthesis for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

There are individual care units for cardiology, intensive & special care, imaging, neurosurgery & urology. Counting 110 beds at the downtown unit and 23 beds in Poblado, Clínica Medellín is capable of serving patients with warm assistance and cutting edge technology options. It has 10 modern surgery rooms in total that are shared by both branches. Assistance for international patients is provided by Jorge Mario Puerta Soto.

Las Americas Clinic
DIAG 75B #2A-80
TEL: (574) 342-1010
http://www.pmamericas.com/Espanol/econtent/Home.asp (*spanish only)

Just southwest of the city in an area called "La Mota", sits a medical center established by a group of independent doctors in 1993. A group of 480 assigned specialists work at the hospital and together they service the following care units: xray & diagnostic imaging services, nuclear medicine, diagnostic & surgical video endoscopy, neumology & breathing therapy, physical & rehab medicine, intensive care, gynocology & obstetrics, executive checkups, aviation medicine, surgical unit, newborn unit, hospitalization, intensive care, emergency, pharmaceutical services, dialysis, cardiology, cardiovascular surgery and extracorporeal shock wave therapy.

Las Americas has 199 beds, 12 operating rooms, 12 intensive care beds for adults and 7 for children. Among its most oustanding services we find bone marrow transplants, cancer treatment, minimally invasive surgery, plastic surgery and epilepsy surgery for adults. There is also an institute for women which offers comprehensive assistance to patients and their families. Among its services are gynocology & obstetrics (including high risk), treatment of climacterium and osteoporosis as well as oncologic gynocology.

Las Vegas Clinic
CALLE 2 SUR #46-55
TEL: (574) 311-1000
http://clinicalasvegas.net/ (*spanish only)

Operational since 1992, this clinic is located in Poblado and specializes in minimally invasive surgery, gastrohepatology, cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. There are 14 care units at the hospital including cardiovascular, plastic, newborn intensive care, diagnostic, imaging & therapeutic support, endoscopic unit, emergency, oral health, trauma, perinatal maternal care, critical medicine, opthalmology, urology and orthopedics.

El Rosario Clinic
CARERRA 41 #62-05
TEL: (574) 295-9000
http://www.clinicaelrosario.com/index.htm (*spanish only)

This private clinic was founded in the 1960's and has two branches. One of the branches is located downtown in Villa Hermosa and the other is located in El Tesoro (Poblado). The downtown branch is an eight story building with 192 beds, an auditorium that seats 150 people as well as an abundance of parking. The El Tesoro branch in Poblado has 120 beds and includes 5 surgery rooms, internal medicine & maternity ward, a pediatrics center, 2 delivery rooms, 70 doctors' offices and 14 emergency stretchers to name a few of the accomodations and medical options.

In general, the clinic offers specialized emergency services, hospitalization, surgery and special care. It has cutting edge medical equipment ranging from a BC mammogram unit, potable x-ray, GE Volusion 730 Expert, Multidiagnostic 3, Tomoscan AV and conventional radiology, a gastroenterology unit and a refernce medical laboratory.

Santa Maria Cardiovascular Clinic
CALLE 78B #75-21
TEL: (574) 442-2200
http://www.congregacionmariana.org.co/ (*spanish only)

This hospital is the unquestionable leader in transplants for the the city of Medellin. In 1985, it performed the first heart transplant in Colombia. In 1997, it performed the first lung transplant and in 1999, the hospital performed the first bilateral lung transplant. In 2004, it performed the first endovascular implant of bone marrow stem cells for myocardial regeneration, along with the support of the bone marrow transplant group at the Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital.

The clinic has the capabilities and technological components to perform heart surgery, vascular surgery, minimally invasive surgery, intracranial & cranial surgery, rachis marrow channel surgery, chronic pain surgery, lung surgery, mediastinal surgery, as well as surgery for the esophagus/costal wall. The hospital also has the only newborn cardiovascular surgery unit in the city.

In all, there are 7 operating rooms, a room for cystoscopies, an electrophysiology room, 3 hemodynamic rooms, 12 beds in intensive care, 23 rooms in the special care unit, 45 shared bedrooms, 31 single bedrooms, 5 beds in the pediatric intensive care unit, 4 beds in the pediatric special care unit as well as 8 additional beds for the assistance of children.

San Diego Opthamologic Clinic
CARERRA 43 #30-28
TEL: (574) 262-6363
http://www.clinicasandiego.com.co/espanol/...lates/index.php (*spanish only)

A private institution, this hospital is located in El Poblado and specializes in medical procedures and services related to opthalmology, a field in which it is a pioneer in such treatments as personalized correction of myopia, hypermetropy and astigmatism through the use of zyoptic technology in which latest generation Technolas 217-Z lasers are used. It is also a leading institution in the application of photodynamic therapy by means of the Visulas 690-s equipment for the stabilization of vision when age related macular degeneration is diagnosed.

The clinic has 5 operating rooms for opthalmological surgery and uses cutting edge equipment which makes it possible to remove cataracts by means of phacoemulsification. It performs cataract and refractive surgery, vitreous & retina surgery, strabismus, cosmetic eye surgery, cornea transplant, glaucoma surgery, ocular oncology and opthalmological emergencies.

Besides surgical procedures, the clinic also performs a wide variety of tests such as angiographies, biometrics tests, computerized scopemeters, specular microscopy and corneal topography.


Soma Clinic
CALLE 51 #45-93
TEL: (574) 511-7979
http://www.soma.com.co/ingles/home.htm (*some english translation)

Located downtown and founded by a group of 23 private doctors in 1947, this hospital has a team of 135 associates from almost all specialties of medicine and care for patients at its 160 room facility.

Among its most outstanding services include minimally invasive surgery or laparoscopy, surgery for morbid obesity, reconstructive surgery (head, feet, hands), annuloplasties with catheter (IDT), ozone nucleoplasty, ligamentoplasty, general surgery, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedics, urologic surgery, head & neck surgery, pediatric surgery, opthalmology, gynocology & obstetrics and ear/nose/throat medicine.

There are special intensive care units for adults and newborn babies. There are nine operating rooms, an emergency room, a maternity unit and a pediatric services center.

Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital
CALLE 78B #69-240
TEL: (574) 441-5252
TEL: (574) 445-9267 (Foreign Patients)
http://www.hptu.org.co/ (*spanish only)

A non profit and private foundation, this hospital maintains a high degree of excellence and has been operational more than 35 years. Its humane approach , knowledge and technology have turned it into a favorute diagnostic and treatment center for local and foreign patients

Outstanding specialties include hepatology, nephrology, gastroenterology, intensive care, coloproctology, endocrinology, dermatology, thorax surgery, vascular surgery, head & neck surgery, infectious diseases & rheumatology. Thanks to its transplant unit, many patients including children and adults have had the opportunity to improve their lives. The hospital also specializes in obesity and orthopedic & oncology treatments as well as others. The hospital has won numerous accolades for its medical leadership and outstanding services in the medical community.

San Vicente de Paúl University Hospital
CALLE 64 & CARERRA 51D METRO HOSPITAL
TEL: (574) 444-1333
http://www.elhospital.org.co/english/home.htm (*english translation)

A private institution, San Vicente de Paúl is located in the northern part of the city and is easily accessed by the Metro at the Hospital station. The hospital opened its doors in 1934 and its extensive premises include 15 hospital rooms and 5 intensive care rooms, including one for newborn babies and one for infants. In fact, the Clarita Santos wing is exclusively devoted to assisting children.

The hospital has the most modern building and facility for the assistance of kidney patients undergoing dialysis and transplant. Created in 1968, the transplant group performed the first bone marrow transplant in Latin America, the first simultaneous kidney & pancreas transplant and the first liver transplant. In association with the Santa Maria Cardiovascular Clinic, it performed the first heart transplant in Colombia. The hospital also successfully carried out the second larynx transplant in the world as well as the first trachea transplant.

Among its many services, the most outstanding are its liver, kidney, bone marrow & bone transplants. Other specialties include treatments associated with urology, hand reimplants and a pain center. Its Clinica del Dolor (Pain Clinic) is exclusively devoted to this area of medicine.

CES Clinic
CARERRA 50C #58-45
TEL: (574) 576-7272
http://www.clinicaces.com/ces.htm (*spanish only)

Located in Prado (near downtown), this hospital has a total of 65 beds and 5 operating rooms. There is a special care unit available as well as diagnostic systems, clinical laboratory, pathology, radiology, mammography, ultrasound scan, endoscopy, rectal sigmoidoscopy, echocardiography, doppler echo, vascular peripheric and effort tests. There are also satellite offices in Almacentro (across from San Diego Mall), Sabaneta and Girardota.

Among the services offered at the hospital are 24 hour emergency medical and dental care, physical & breathing therapy, external consultation options, general medicine, allergy specialists, general & oncologic surgery, plastic surgery (cosmetic & reconstructive), dermatology & dermatologic surgery, gynocology, internal medicine, general opthalmology & specialized orthopedics, ear/nose/throat medicine, pediatrics, neurology, pediatric gastroenterology, neurology, neurosurgery, urology, occupational health and preventative medical checkups.