Pablo Tobón Uribe: The Hospital With Soul

In the wilds of Comuna Robledo, up the hill a bit in the west side of town, rises Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe.

Founded in 1970, this private, non-profit, 371-bed hospital is considered by paisas I interviewed to be the best in town. It has also been recognized as one of the top hospitals in all of Latin America.

For what it’s worth, it has a star rating of 4.8 out of 5 in Google Reviews, with patient comments like these:

“I have to say my experience at Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe was wonderful. The staff treats everyone equally and efficiently. I like their logo- The Hospital with a Soul – because it’s true. The hospital is comfortable and very modern. My care was excellent!”

It may be a little out-of-the-way for those who live on the east side of the river, but for those of us in Laureles, Estadio and Belén it is very conveniently located.

My own experience there for a week bears out the praiseful testimony on Google. I was admitted to the Emergency ward and was listed in their triage order correctly for what ailed me.

I was asked at the time if I needed an English translator to help. At this point I said “no” since it was clear from the nurses’ communications that everything was going correctly.

I spent one night in Emergency, and while noisy, it was comfortable and sleep came easily. The battery of tests continued through the night…blood, heart, vital signs and visits by an internist and a specialist in gastroenterology. What did I have? A bleeding ulcer.

And I was scheduled to be married the next day. Could that have been the cause? No. And no jokes please! I’ve heard them all.

We were able to postpone the wedding, so I was checked in to a luxurious (no other word for it) private room on the 12th floor with of course, this being Medellín, a spectacular view.

Over the next few days I got treated for the ulcer including an upper GI endoscope, and received what I would call a 68-year check up and check out.

I left the hospital feeling healthier and more alive that I have in quite a while. How can a recommendation be better than that?

The hospital is currently undergoing construction, but my room was on the opposite side so I heard nothing. When I was moved to the fourth floor for procedures, I could see the massive hole and girdering.

The fourth floor is a modern marvel. They have everything any hospital in the States would have. Besides being a general hospital, they specialize in renal and cancer care, bariatric surgery, and pediatrics.

Four of the five doctors who looked in on me and formed my committee spoke pretty good English. Two were perfect English speakers. And as I said, there are trained medical interpreters available.

There is a department which deals with foreign patients, so-called “medical tourists,” which handles insurance and language and correspondence with the “home” medical establishment specializing in cancer care and tomographic diagnosis.

At the time I was in Pablo Tobón, I was not covered by any insurance. Medicare of course does not travel out of the United States. Grrrrrr…. So, “Going Naked” caught up with me.

But for all of the services, private room, emergency services, medications, follow-ups and procedures, my total bill for seven days in hospital was $7,000.

Since I was a Private Patient, Paciente Particular, they accepted only cash. We scraped it together. Since I am now married to a Colombian, I am covered by EPS, so no more out-of-pocket payments for me. How’s your insurance?

You might consider a trek to the wilds of Robledo for your medical care. A large general hospital has advantages, and Pablo Tobón Uribe is one of the best.