Colombia is a hospital powerhouse in the region, with 26 institutions among the top 80 according to a new ranking: these are the recognized clinics.

Colombia once again stands out as one of the leading healthcare countries in Latin America. The IntelLat 2025 Ranking of Best Hospitals and Clinics, revealed exclusively by EL TIEMPO, places 26 Colombian institutions among the 80 best in the region, confirming the strength of the national hospital system and its ability to compete with giants like Brazil and Mexico.

Of the top 20, seven are Colombian, a fact that consolidates the country's position as the second-largest on the list, surpassed only by Brazil. The Santa Fe de Bogotá Foundation, the Valle del Lili Foundation, and the Cardioinfantil Foundation—known as La Cardio—appear in the top 10, along with the Imbanaco Clinic.

All of this, despite the profound crisis facing the Colombian healthcare system, marked by insufficient resources and financial difficulties affecting the EPSs and the flow of resources. Despite significant challenges, healthcare providers (IPS) manage to maintain quality standards that keep them among the regional elite. The fact that Colombian hospitals are ranked in the top 10 and hold leadership positions in several specialties demonstrates the hospital sector's resilience in the midst of an adverse environment.

"Colombia demonstrates remarkable hospital maturity, with standards that compete with the best on the continent," explains the report by IntelLat, the firm that organizes this ranking, recognized for its methodological rigor and for being based on more than 160 indicators validated directly with participating hospitals.

A total of 26 Colombian hospitals were included in the ranking, spread across 10 cities across the country. These include both university foundations and clinics, as well as large private networks. According to the report, the best hospital in the region is the Einstein Hospital Israelita in São Paulo (Brazil), and the second-best is the Hospital Sírio-Libanês, also in São Paulo.

In this year's overall ranking, the best Colombian hospital is the Santa Fe Foundation in Bogotá, which ranked third on the continent. It is followed by the Valle del Lili Foundation in Cali (5th), the Cardioinfantil Foundation – La Cardio (7th), and the Imbanaco Clinic (9th).

Other notable institutions include the Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital (14th), the San Vicente Fundación Hospital (19th), the Reina Sofía Clinic – Colsanitas (20th), Méderi University Hospital (21st) and the Las Américas AUNA Clinic (24th).

The IntelLat 2025 Ranking evaluated 80 hospitals across Latin America. Brazil leads with 30 institutions, followed by Colombia (26) and Mexico (10). The remaining participating countries have just over a dozen hospitals combined, reflecting the concentration of highly complex infrastructure in these three nations. Other countries evaluated include Peru, Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama, Chile, and Ecuador.

Colombia not only has a high number of hospitals on the list, but it also occupies privileged positions. Four of its institutions are among the top ten and nine among the top 25, reflecting a regional competitiveness standard.

For the first time, the ranking included an analysis by medical specialty, in which Colombia also performed outstandingly:

The report also measured nine key dimensions to assess hospital quality. Colombian hospitals ranked highly in several of them:

On average, Colombian hospitals achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 77.5%, higher than the Latin American average (74%), reflecting high patient satisfaction.

Despite this leadership, the report also reveals challenges. Only three of Colombia's 26 hospitals are certified in cybersecurity, and investment in technological equipment fell 36.7% in 2024 compared to the previous year. However, institutions plan to increase their technology spending by 30% in 2025.

In terms of efficiency, Colombian hospitals have higher bed occupancy rates (90.5%) and operating room occupancy rates (83.9%) than the regional average. However, they face significant payment delays: while the Latin American average is 88 days, in Colombia it rises to 114, amid the severe financial crisis currently affecting the system.

The IntelLat 2025 Ranking confirms that Colombia not only has world-class institutions, but is also consolidating its position as a regional benchmark in healthcare. The presence of hospitals in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Bucaramanga, and Pasto reflects a robust and decentralized system capable of combining clinical excellence, innovation, and patient service.

Environment and Health Journalist