Read this before the chart
The scoring below is our own editorial synthesis, not a published index or scientific ranking — we built it from the accreditation, proximity, and pricing data covered elsewhere on this site to give a visual starting point. Use it as a framework, not a verdict.
2026 Editorial Scorecard (Illustrative, 1-10 per Dimension)
How to read this
Each dimension is scored 1–10 based on the data and comparisons covered across this entire site — cost advantage reflects typical savings depth, proximity reflects flight time and time zone, accreditation density reflects JCI hospital counts, procedure breadth reflects how many categories a destination genuinely leads in, and recovery experience reflects the qualitative factors covered in our recovery comparison article.
What the scorecard suggests
| Destination | Strongest dimension | Weakest dimension |
|---|---|---|
| Colombia | Recovery experience & proximity | Accreditation density (smaller network, high depth) |
| Turkey | Cost advantage & accreditation density | Proximity (10–12 hour flights) |
| Mexico | Proximity | Procedure breadth & recovery experience |
| Thailand | Accreditation density & procedure breadth | Proximity (18–20 hour flights) |
Why Colombia scores well here without this being a Colombia advertisement
Colombia doesn't top every single dimension — Turkey and Thailand both out-score it on raw accreditation density, and Mexico beats it on proximity. Its balanced profile across all five dimensions, rather than a single standout score, is what drives its overall position. Colombia ranked #22 globally and #1 in the Western Hemisphere in the World Health Organization's World Health Report 2000 — a ranking the WHO has not repeated since, due to controversy over the methodology. Treat it as a historical data point, not a current scorecard. See colombiamedical.co for the full Colombia-specific case.
The Takeaway
Use this scorecard as a starting orientation, then go deeper into the specific procedure and safety articles on this site — which rely on more concrete, sourced data than this illustrative synthesis.
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