One of the main reasons some citizens living in third-world countries like ours is to get access to top-notch healthcare service at an affordable price.
Here are five countries where you can get first-rate care at a relatively low cost. These countries scored the highest marks for Best Healthcare in the World in the 2020 Annual Global Retirement Index
Colombia
Colombia is the second most bio-diverse country in the world. Located in the north of South America.
When América Economía, a financial publication, put together their latest annual list of Latin America’s top 58 hospitals, 23 of those hospitals were based in Colombia. That means that 40% of the top Latin American hospitals are located in Colombia.
Four of these hospitals are Joint Commission International-accredited, the gold standard in world health. JCI, or Joint Commission International, is a non-profit patient-safety organization that certifies hospitals around the globe.
Two are located in Bogotá (Fundación Cardioinfantil – Instituto de Cardiología, and Hospital Universitario Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogotá), one is located in Medellín (Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe), and one is located just outside of Bucaramanga (Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia – Instituto del Corazón).
Panama
Panama is the southernmost country in Central America and is bordered by Costa Rica and Colombia.
Panama is one of the most sophisticated and technologically advanced countries in Central America—and quality healthcare facilities are a function of that. Panama’s hospitals, clinics, and laboratories are clean, have modern equipment, and compare favorably with their counterparts in just about any country.
Clinics and hospitals are tactically located in hubs across the country. And since the country is so small, you’re unlikely to be more than an hour from a modern facility, no matter where you choose to live. It’s also not unusual to find English-speaking doctors here, as many study abroad after finishing their initial training in Panama.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a Central American country with coasts along both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
By almost any standard, Costa Rica has some of the best healthcare in Latin America.
There are two systems, both of which legal residents can access: the government-run universal healthcare system, Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, known as Caja, and the private system. Both health systems are constantly being upgraded—new clinics, new equipment, and improvements in staff training.
Despite the advancements, costs are low in comparison to those in the U.S.
Spain
The World Health Organization ranks Spain as having one of the best healthcare systems in the world. The public system is widely used, but private healthcare is excellent and affordable, including 26 JCI-accredited facilities.
Facilities tend to be modern, with state-of-the-art equipment, and Spanish doctors must pass rigorous qualifying exams to get their license to practice. The central government used to be the sole regulator of healthcare, but now each of the country’s 17 Autonomous Communities takes individual responsibility for implementing and executing healthcare.
Spain has both private and public healthcare systems.
Portugal
Scoring 99 out of 100, Portugal claims the top spot in the Healthcare category of International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index 2020.
The Portuguese healthcare system is composed of three co-existing systems: the national health service (Serviço Nacional de Saùde, SNS), the special social programmes of health insurance for certain professions (subsystems of the state), and private, voluntary health insurance.
The country boast of some of the finest doctors and medical training available anywhere. Teaching facilities include the School of Health Services at the University of Minho in the north, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Coimbra in the center—renowned for its expansive research fields and Ph.D. programs—and the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the New University of Lisbon in the south.
Many if not most doctors who graduate from these fine universities do studies and residencies in the U.K. and other European countries. Additionally, many of their upper-level courses are taught in English. This results in most medical professionals having some level of fluency in the lingua franca of the 21st century.
You do not have to travel far to get healthcare services, even in small towns, you can find excellent care.
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