Healthcare in Colombia offers high-quality private hospital care in major cities alongside a public system that faces national capacity constraints. At Colombia Desk, we help foreigners plan a move to Medellín or Bogotá, and that plan should include knowing where to go when you get sick.
Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe in Medellín and Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá both say they hold Joint Commission International accreditation. If you are not insured in Colombia, expect to pay the hospital or doctor up front.
Is Healthcare in Colombia Good?
Private hospitals in major cities are strong, while the national healthcare system is thinner.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published its “Health at a Glance 2025” report on November 13, 2025. According to OECD figures reported by La República, 99% of Colombians are covered for a core set of health services. Only 46% of people are satisfied with the availability of quality healthcare, against an OECD average of 64%.
The same OECD figures show Colombia below the OECD average on spending, staff and hospital beds, and above it on avoidable deaths. Spending is shown in US dollars (USD) adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), and GDP means gross domestic product.
Three private hospitals say they hold Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation. In Medellín, Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe (HPTU) says it was first accredited in 2015 and last evaluated in September 2024.
In Bogotá, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá (FSFB) says it received its fifth JCI reaccreditation in 2025. Outside the two largest cities, Fundación Valle del Lili in Cali says it is JCI-accredited, and its international patients page shows agreements with several foreign insurers.
| Metric | Colombia | OECD Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population Covered for Core Services | 99% | Not published |
| Satisfied with Availability of Quality Care | 46% | 64% |
| Spending Per Capita (PPP) | USD 1,877 | USD 5,967 |
| Healthcare Spending as Share of GDP | 8.1% | 9.3% |
| Practicing Physicians (per 1,000 people) | 2.5 | 3.9 |
| Practicing Nurses (per 1,000 people) | 1.6 | 9.2 |
| Hospital Beds (per 1,000 people) | 1.9 | 4.2 |
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 77.5 years | 3.6 years higher |
| Treatable Deaths (per 100,000 people) | 115 | 77 |
| Preventable Deaths (per 100,000 people) | 304 | 145 |
Finding an English-Speaking Doctor in Colombia
You can find an English-speaking doctor in Colombia through a hospital’s international patient office or the UK government’s list of medical facilities.
The United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) publishes a list of medical facilities in Colombia, dated September 8, 2025. It is written for British nationals and marks whether each facility has English-speaking staff. The list is not an endorsement of any facility.
| Medical Facility | City | English-Speaking Staff (UK FCDO List) | International Patient Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe (HPTU) | Medellín (Robledo) | Yes | int@hptu.org.co |
| Clínica Medellín | Medellín | Yes | Central lines: +57 604 402 8368, +57 604 444 6152 ext. 350 |
| Hospital General de Medellín | Medellín | Some | Not published |
| Clínica Las Américas Auna | Medellín | Not on the list | soporteinternacional@lasamericas.com.co |
| Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá (FSFB) | Bogotá (Usaquén) | Yes | internacional@fsfb.org.co |
| Clínica del Country | Bogotá | Some | Main line: +57 601 390 5099 |
| Clínica de Marly | Bogotá | Some | Has an international office (per FCDO) |
| Hospital de San José | Bogotá | No | Not published |
At HPTU, Las Américas Auna and FSFB, the international patient offices offer English or bilingual help with appointments and foreign insurers.
In Medellín, HPTU’s International Office serves people who have lived abroad for the last six months or more, and Colombian residents with international medical insurance. Its English-language support runs Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at +57 (604) 445 9425, +57 (604) 445 9412 or WhatsApp +57 317 401 3663. If you live in Colombia without international insurance, book through HPTU’s main appointment line at +57 (604) 360 47 88 instead. The hospital is at Calle 78B No. 69-240 in Robledo.
Clínica Las Américas Auna in Medellín operates an International Patient Office that has managed international patient visits since 2001. The office books specialist appointments and surgery, handles international-insurer paperwork, and provides an interpreter during your stay. It also has hotel agreements and a free hospital taxi to and from José María Córdova and Olaya Herrera airports. Reach it on WhatsApp at +57 311 609 8842 or, from the United States, at 1-800-625-4759. The clinic is at Diagonal 75B No. 2A-80/140, and it publishes no office hours.
In Bogotá, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá runs an international office at Carrera 7 No. 117-15 in Usaquén. Its bilingual team helps with appointments, foreign-insurer coordination, lodging and transport. WhatsApp (+57 311 296 1151) and phone (+57 320 420 4201) are listed as open 24/7. The in-person office opens Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Clínica Medellín has an international patient office that books specialists, procedures and tests, gives price estimates, and takes deposits by international bank transfer. Its page does not say which languages the staff speak, though the UK list marks English-speaking staff there. In Bogotá, Clínica del Country says it holds the national “Acreditación en Salud con Excelencia” and runs adult and pediatric emergency rooms. Its homepage does not mention JCI accreditation.
Paying Out of Pocket as a Foreigner
Foreigners can pay out of pocket for medical care in Colombia (known locally as a consulta particular). According to Colombia Move, a relocation advisory service, paying privately lets you book a specialist without a General Practitioner (GP) referral or approval from an Entidad Promotora de Salud (EPS).
Colombia Move says a passport is accepted for private registration and that private visits are often booked within 24 to 72 hours. Private fees are not legally capped. These are Colombia Move’s September 2026 ranges in Colombian pesos (COP):
- General Practitioner Consultation: COP 100,000 to COP 220,000. Appointments are frequently booked for the same day or within 24 hours.
- Medical Specialist (e.g. Cardiology, Ear, Nose and Throat): COP 200,000 to COP 450,000. Waiting times typically range from 1 to 3 days.
- Sub-Specialist Consultation: COP 350,000 to COP 450,000. Wait times typically range between 3 and 7 days.
Doctoralia listings run a little lower. On October 18, 2026, general doctor listings on Doctoralia Colombia in Medellín showed fees from COP 60,000 to COP 200,000. Each doctor sets their own price, and prices change.
HPTU’s international office says procedures for international patients must be paid in full before they are performed, using cash, international bank wire, or direct bank transfer. Estimates provided cover only listed services, and the final bill may differ.
The United States Embassy in Bogotá says Colombian hospitals and health providers “will expect payment before the patient is released.” Medicare and Medicaid are generally valid only in the United States. Most US private insurers that pay for care abroad make you file for reimbursement afterwards, so expect to pay the Colombian provider first.
Colombia Move advises asking for these documents before you leave, so you can file a reimbursement claim:
- Factura Electrónica de Venta en Salud (FEV): The official electronic health sales invoice.
- Clinical Encounter Notes: A complete, signed medical summary from the attending doctor detailing your symptoms, clinical findings, and treatment.
- Diagnostic Codes (CIE-10): The official International Classification of Diseases (CIE-10) diagnosis code corresponding to your condition.
- Itemized Prescriptions: A line-by-line list of what was prescribed.
What Happens in a Medical Emergency
In a life-threatening medical emergency, call 123, Colombia’s national single emergency line. In Bogotá, 123 runs 24 hours a day from any mobile or landline phone.
In Bogotá, the Secretaría Distrital de Salud manages pre-hospital emergency care through 123. It handles critical emergencies first and sends ambulances by severity and available resources. The city’s examples of when to call include traffic accidents with injuries, chest pain, difficulty breathing and unconsciousness.
In Medellín, according to the Alcaldía de Medellín, the 123 line received 13,847 requests in January 2026. The municipal pre-hospital program operates a core fleet of 17 public ambulances, which attended to 942 direct medical emergencies during that single month. Private ambulance providers and private insurance networks run separate vehicle fleets across the city.
No 123 page mentions an English-language service. If you do not speak Spanish, keep your address written down in Spanish, or ask a Spanish-speaking neighbor to make the call.
Colombian law guarantees you initial emergency care when you arrive at an emergency room (Urgencias). Article 168 of Ley 100 de 1993 requires every public and private provider to give initial emergency care (atención inicial de urgencias) to everyone, regardless of ability to pay. That care needs no contract or prior order.
This law does not make emergency care free. The hospital still bills you, and the US Embassy says providers expect payment before the patient is released.
Emergency rooms sort patients into triage levels I to V, and Colombia Move says level IV and V cases may wait hours. For something urgent but not life-threatening, Colombia Move says you can go to an Atención Prioritaria clinic instead. If you are unsure how serious it is, call 123 or go to Urgencias.
Health Insurance and Dental Care in Colombia
If you live in Colombia, your health cover runs through the public EPS system, a private medicina prepagada plan, or both. Our guide to health insurance in Colombia for foreigners covers who must join an EPS, what an independent worker pays, and what prepagada plans cost. For dental work and prices, see our guide to dental tourism in Colombia.
Next Steps for Healthcare in Colombia
Before you need care in Medellín or Bogotá, do three things:
- Find the private hospital emergency room (Urgencias) nearest your home.
- Save its international office’s phone and WhatsApp numbers.
- Keep enough cash or credit available to pay the hospital before you leave.
Our verdict on private care would change if these hospitals lost their JCI accreditation, or if private doctors stopped seeing self-paying foreigners.
If healthcare in Colombia is part of planning a move to Medellín or Bogotá, our relocation concierge service can help you settle in, or you can contact us with questions.