Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in 2 Spine surgery clinics in Barranquilla

Malpractice. My grandmother was left to die. After an isquémic stroke. Proper measures were not taken within first 6 hours. Instead of ICU, she was put in a regular room. Nurses shifts had no records of prior shifts. Avoid at all costs.

I was supposed to have surgery in this clinic on 10/17/22. I arrived around 10:30 at the O.R floor, 4th floor in the building, and no one was there. The reception desk was dark with zero employees. While I sat waiting for someone to show up I looked at my paperwork handed to me at check-in, when I realized they had me as a Colombian citizen born in Barranquilla. I'm a U.S citizen. The address, phone number, and emergency contact provided by me earlier had been overlooked and ignored. I went downstairs and corrected it. Finally, the nurse showed up; she was a nice lady. There isn't anything negative to say about her. Around 3:30 a nurse assistant brings a wheelchair and wheels me into the OR. My surgeon, Dr. Carlos Cala was running late, she said. The O.R had a two way-in, bidirectional, restaurant style, swing door with small windows. At his point I had not been sedated, medicated, nor given a relaxant to prepared me for the cultural shock I was about to experience. There was, right in the middle of the room, an overwhelming sight of a surgical bed dressed in brown sheets ready for a bloodbath; and a dented, shallow bucket, right at my feet. The pan was wide enough for my feet to fit in. The N.A explained to me that she was going to bathe me with antiseptics and soap before surgery. I followed her with my gaze, noticing a disturbing sight of two soiled, worn out, filthy, and grotty, styrofoam coolers. There they kept the antiseptic and soap warm that she was about to use on me. She asked me to stand in the pan facing the door and those swinging doors started to open and close while medical staff came in and out. I was naked and a swing away to be seen by everyone sitting at the desk just outside the OR (recovery area). Then, as I’m looking around in dismay, I spotted a recording video camera IN the OR. All the feelings of humiliation, indignity, disrespect, and violation of privacy took over me at this point. I complained about this to the NA and she called the floor manager. The manager explained to me that the video was for liability reasons and to cover their backs, privacy wasn't a concern to them and video recording was a common practice. I requested an appointment with the clinic’s director and It seemed as if I threw a stone in a hornets nest. The floor manager called the anesthesiologist, Dr. Bernal, and he asked me what was the problem. All of this time I was still naked. I tried to explain to him that I felt my privacy was not being respected as I had never gone through anything like I was experiencing at that moment before and his replied was: “you should go back to the United States and get surgery there.” I don’t know what was more upsetting; the fact that this doctor represented COLOMBIA so poorly, not aspiring to anything beyond mediocrity as a professional, stepping over his Hippocratic Oath, and having a condescending tone towards a CUSTOMER (I’m a paying client in a private clinic, I reminded him), or the fact that his lack of character, dignity, and vulgar behavior, were an irrevocable proof of his unprofessionalism. When did lack of HYGIENE and violation of privacy became a common practice in healthcare?! Both, Dr. Bernal and the floor manager, proceeded to tell me to calm down and that if I wasn’t ready for surgery I could reschedule. I kept saying that I still was interested in an appt with the clinic’s manager. The floor manager kept hinting that there was not going to be a surgery if I insisted to see the director because that meant I was upset, while Dr. Bernal kept using my request as leverage pertaining to the final success and outcome of the surgery. Again, all of this time I was naked. Because I didn’t shut up and submissively obeyed, the surgery was canceled and I was scorted out of the OR while the nurse assistant was making signs behind me at everyone we were passing by (medical staff, patients, and their families around) that I was crazy. I did speak to the director days later. Even though he was nice, I opted to have my surgery elsewhere. Avoid at all cost unless you're dying.

Good service but they would have bigger watings rooms...

It is not possible to communicate to schedule an appointment. With so much advanced technology and they do not even have a telephone line available to contact them.

Terrible service, the worst place, bad attention..... The person in charge of making admission for the colonoscopies is rude, speaks reluctantly, does not respect the patients...... They schedule people on a schedule and I made them wait more than three hours.... The worst clinic I have ever known....

Hello, my lady was there for a few days, I chose to pay for a better service, so that she would be monitored all the time, for fear that something would happen to her at home, and she would not get to the hospital on time, and Lugo de I spent an entire night with pain and fever on November 19, on the 20th they told me that they couldn't do anything and that they suffered a demotion, the doctor failed and left them to die.

of the best clinics in Bogotá.

Design and sophistication for the Health of Colombians!!!

I found some english speaking doctors here and they have an international office to help you translate if you dont speak spanish. Thank you very much Carolina 🙏

Horrible! Dont go to this clinic. The most unfriendly employees I have experienced in this Hospital. Yes I do speak spanish but once I didnt understand smth the lady just ignored me! Errors start already in front of the Clinic. Apparently they don't know the difference between a Swiss flag and a medical (red!!!) cross. So my question: is this a Swiss Clinic??? Of course not...

My mom got a well planned surgery in this Clinic. Excellent outstanding service what a relief. Fast service, very diligent and well trained all staff. Great place to get well and get some recovery. If you get sick go there you will be fine quickly. Do not visit Los Nogales clinic or La Colina. Marly is the best! Thank you all for your service! Mom is doing great. The doctor was very profesional!

Excellent...!

3 days waiting in que for gallbladder surgery to be scheduled! Why does the patient get to wait? And why doesn't the clinic approach and explain what's going on to the patient's children.?

Customer service people on their cell phones while helping zero people in the que. The pictures say it all. Look at the customer service people chatting on the phone and the video board showing zero people in the que.

Bad bad. The treatment is derogatory towards low-income people. If you want to receive good treatment, dress well and show that you are of good economic standing. And if the patients are "eps" things get worse.

I like how you treat me here at the clinic.

Good attention

All staff member needs an urgent training to learn the meaning of empathy and serve to patients.

The best in town.

Omg I had to walk to the nurses station for everything from a blanket to medication. They have no tv in the rooms. They take for ever. You have to wait 6-8 hours to get something done. Just go to a regular clinic in Barranquilla they are not as nice but they get things done.

An amazing facility with an amazing level of care. Better than any US or German hospital I have ever been in. The office of international patients is very professional and thorough. Dr. Taboada is very thorough and professional. I can't recommend this hospital enough. Super experience.

I came to see if giving birth at Serena del Mar was an option. When I was given a tour of where the mothers and babies stay it was great. I was told to male an appointment to be seen by an obgyn so that they would have a history of me. The nurse took my info days before my appointment but apparently never followed through with setting up my profile. I showed up for my appointment and was never told who I would be seen by. Dr Maria Fernanda Toro Wils was upset that she had to wait on me because the staff had not created my profile. I finally went into my appointment with the doctor and she scolded me and told me she had no time we had to rush. I told her I did not understand whybinwas being treated this way when her staff was a mess. She told me she always does 40 minutes and she dedicated about 20 minutes if that. I left there feeling so upset and totally changed my mind about having my baby there. The treatment from Dr. MARIA Fernanda Toro Wils was terrible. I would not recommend her or her staff in a million years.

They neither answer their phones nor respond to emails seeking an appointment! Terrible customer service. I communicated in Spanish as well so not a language issue.