Medellin is one of the most beautiful cities in Colombia. It is a significant business and tourism center with excellent restaurants, 5 star hotels, casinos, great night clubs and world class shopping centers; everything you need in order to have a great experience.
Medellín, a Healthy and Exciting City
- Population of 3.5 million people.
- Excellent transportation services (taxi, bus, metro, car rental)
- Temperature between 18° – 26° Celsius
The government has strategically directed the city to the highest level quality of health care. That is why Medellin has a Medical and Dental Services Cluster under the brand, Medellin Health City. It’s integrated by the most prestigious hospitals, clinics, dental clinics and medical schools.
It also counts with 270 complementary companies of the healthcare supply chain. An innovative value added proposal that involves quality, patient safety, technology, continuous improvement, lower costs, human talent and touristic attractions.
Medellin Health City is led by the Chamber of Commerce of Medellin, the City Hall of Medellin and supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism and Proexport Colombia.
- Medellin has been ranked #15 best cities to do business by the America Economy Magazine
- 5 of the 45 best hospitals and clinics in Latin America are in Medellin1
- Best public hospital in Latin America is in Medellin2
- 4 clinics and hospitals with national accreditation3
- 4 clinics and hospitals towards the JCI accreditation
- 6 dental clinics with International American accreditation (AAAASFI)
- A center for Technology Assessment in Health, PAHO/ WHO Collaborating Center
- PAHO/WHO Cooperation Center in Latin America for the development of training programs for health care managers
- Cooperation Agreements: Jackson Memorial Hospital and Pittsburg Hospital
- First green hospital in Colombia (LEED Certification)
Hospital San Vicente de Paul was built by Mr. Alejandro Echavarria in 1913 in order to improve the sanitary conditions for the ill, to avoid contagion and to comply with the latest European norms for the hospital construction.
The hospital maintains and consolidates its leadership role in medicine. Sixty percent of all transplants in Colombia are performed in Medellin and 90% of them are performed at Hospital San Vicente de Paul with more than 4,000 transplants so far.
“I have taken the decision to found a hospital, a big hospital, a very big hospital that will always have the capacity to accommodate every son of Antioquia and the rest of the country who needs its services”. These were Mr. Alejando Echavarria’s words 100 years ago. In 2011, the hospital decided not only to care about the national market but to open its doors to the international market.
Taking into consideration its vision, its high complexity attention leadership, the need of institutional growth and the social security characteristics of the country, the hospital determined as a strategic objective the expansion of its services projecting the construction of a new branch.
Hospital San Vicente de Paul Rionegro was founded as a healing center of excellence and innovation that is up to the best in the world in high complexity medicine. It has the highest standards of patient care and safety. The hospital offers its services by specialized centers with a team approach for specific diseases.
It also has individual hospitalization for every patient and accompanying parties for every critical healthcare service. It operates under Diagnosis Related Groups which is an all inclusive model in which the services are packages with a single price for each specific disease with all included services.
The hospital is being constructed in two phases. The first phase was opened on October 7, 2011 and the service portfolio will have the following centers: transplant and tissue center, digestive disease center, cardiopulmonary and vascular system center, oncology center and emergency center. It will also include a day hospital, diagnostic support services and 180 beds – 35 for intensive and intermediate care.
The second phase will have a neuroscience center, advanced trauma care, plastic, cosmetic and maxillofacial surgery care, woman and newborn specialty care, and a psychiatry center.
Hospital San Vicente de Paul Rionegro was designed for international patients and strives to offer the highest attention and safety to patients. The hospital is working towards the Joint Commission International Accreditation.
Along with being the first green hospital in Colombia, it is also working towards the LEED certification. It has alternative uses of energy, ventilation, noise control and conservation of water resources, flowers, plants, trees, animals and nature that surrounds the hospital.
There are parking areas with garden concept and privileges for non-polluting vehicles. Rainwater system for garden maintenance, low pollutant materials, clean technologies and 75% of the building has natural light and solar panels that represent 35% of energy savings.
The hospital is also a special permanent Free Trade Zone that operates under a special set of rules and regulations which makes possible the export of healthcare services.
With all these great characteristics, it is attractive to visit Medellin for your health needs while enjoying a pleasurable trip. Stay in a beautiful and fantastic city that is able to offer a traditional culture and the new trends for lifestyle between mountains.
About the Author
Natalia Quintero is an International Business Negotiator and Marketing Specialist from Universidad EAFIT. She has been working as a commercial executive at the new facility from Hospital San Vicente de Paul. Taking into consideration its vision, its high-complexity healthcare leadership, the need of institutional growth, and the social security characteristics of the country, the hospital determined as a strategic objective the expansion of its services projecting the construction of a new branch. Hospital San Vicente de Paul Rionegro is a healing center of excellence and innovation that is up to the best in the world in high complexity medicine. It has the highest standards of patient care, safety and it is working towards the JCI accreditation; likewise, it will have the LEED certification (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System™) as a hospital committed to environmental sustainability.
Sources
1. American Economia Magazine 2011 “Best 45 Latin-American hospitals ranking”
2. American Economia Magazine Ranking 2011
3. National Accreditation by ICONTEC
