Health
From The Report: Colombia 2013
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A handful of international awards and recognition have placed Colombia’s health system on the global radar as the sector seeks to conform to international standards. A recent reform to the universal health care system in 2012 improved coverage and made access to services more affordable, boosting the potential for the pharmaceuticals industry and allowing Colombia to build its presence has a producer and distributor in Latin America. Medical tourism has experienced growth, in particular in the areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery even though illegal operations remain a problem. Nonetheless, complex financial and management issues continue to restrict the growth of a quality health system, which faces ongoing challenges, in particular the shortage of specialists and a growing gap in quality standards between urban and rural centres.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

From coverage to quality: Seeking more transparent and efficient management of health resources
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Despite challenges posed by bouts of social and political instability, Colombia’s public services have taken important strides forward in recent years. Traditionally, the Colombian health system has received international recognition. In its latest integral report from 2000, the World Health Organisation (WHO) ranked the country number one in Latin America and 22nd on a global scale. Much of the positive scoring can be directly related to coverage and facilities that provide highquality infrastructure…

Analysis

A cure beyond borders: Looking to consolidate offerings in medical tourism
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Universal health care is taking on a new meaning in Colombia. Not only are citizens keen to gain more access and higher quality services, foreigners too have come to recognise the benefits of seeking out treatment in cities like Bogotá and Medellín. Authorities have caught on to the trend, integrating this segment into the government’s Productive Transformation Programme ( Programa de Transformación Productiva, PTP), one of the country’s most aggressive and successful initiatives to increase…