Bottom line up front: Bookmark this page — every other article on this site links back here the first time it uses one of these terms.
- JCI Accreditation
- Joint Commission International's Gold Seal certification, evaluating hospitals against 1,200+ international patient-safety standards.
- SCCP
- Sociedad Colombiana de Cirugía Plástica — Colombia's official plastic surgery board.
- Habilitación
- Colombia's mandatory baseline operating license for healthcare facilities.
- Acreditación
- Colombia's voluntary, higher-tier quality certification, ICONTEC-based.
- COFEPRIS
- Mexico's regulatory body for medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and facilities.
- ANVISA
- Brazil's national health surveillance agency, regulating medical devices and facilities.
- ISAPS
- International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery — publishes global cosmetic surgery volume data.
- Casa de Recuperación
- A Colombia-originated recovery house model offering bilingual nursing, meals, and monitored recovery outside the hospital.
- FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple)
- Mexico's tourist entry card for short-term visitors.
- Check-Mig
- Colombia's mandatory online immigration form completed before international arrival or departure.
- PGT-A / PGT-M
- Preimplantation genetic testing for chromosomal abnormalities (PGT-A) or specific known genetic diseases (PGT-M) in IVF.
- Dual Pricing
- The practice of charging international patients a different rate than local patients — common and legal across the region.
- Medical Evacuation Insurance
- A specialized insurance product covering emergency transport to a higher level of care.
- Fit-to-Fly
- The medically cleared timeline before flying is considered safe after a specific procedure, largely driven by DVT/PE risk.
- Continuity of Care
- The degree to which international treatment coordinates with a patient's existing domestic healthcare system.
- Board Certification
- Formal credentialing by a country's recognized medical specialty board, distinct from a general medical license.
- Habilitación vs Acreditación
- Colombia's two-tier system: mandatory minimum licensing vs voluntary quality certification.
- Recovery Window
- The medically recommended minimum time before flying or resuming normal activity after a specific procedure.
- Self-Pay / Cash-Pay
- Paying for a procedure out of pocket, without insurance billing — the default model for most medical tourism.
- Facilitator
- A third party coordinating logistics between patient and clinic, typically compensated via a commission from the clinic.
- SBCP
- Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Plástica — Brazil's plastic surgery board.
- Mayo Clinic Care Network
- A global affiliation of independently owned healthcare organizations; Hospital Internacional de Colombia joined in 2025 as the first Colombian and South American member.
- Evidence Level
- A rating (typically Level 1–4) describing the strength of clinical research behind a treatment claim, most relevant for stem cell content.
- Dollar-Pegged Currency
- A currency directly tied to the US dollar, as in Panama and Ecuador, removing conversion risk for USD-paying patients.
- WHO World Health Report 2000
- The source of Colombia's #22 global healthcare ranking — a ranking methodology the WHO has not repeated since.
For procedure-specific terminology beyond this general list, see colombiacosmeticsurgery.com, colombianivf.com, and colombiadentist.co.
Most Important to Verify
Of these terms, JCI accreditation, national board certification (SCCP, COFEPRIS, ANVISA), and the habilitación/acreditación distinction are the three worth independently verifying before you book — not just taking a clinic's word for.