Recovery houses sit in a weird zone between hospitality, transportation and postoperative support. That makes them easy to market and easy to misunderstand. Your job is to identify what the house actually provides and what still belongs to the surgical team.
Start with staffing, not marble
01
Who is onsite overnight? Which people are licensed health professionals? What services are they legally providing?
Who is onsite overnight? Which people are licensed health professionals? What services are they legally providing?
02
If a nurse is advertised, ask whether that person is onsite, on call or visiting.
If a nurse is advertised, ask whether that person is onsite, on call or visiting.
03
Verify relevant Colombian health professionals through ReTHUS when appropriate.
Verify relevant Colombian health professionals through ReTHUS when appropriate.
Draw the escalation ladder
01
Routine request → recovery staff. Surgical concern → treating team. Emergency symptoms → emergency care.
Routine request → recovery staff. Surgical concern → treating team. Emergency symptoms → emergency care.
02
Ask who has the surgeon’s direct pathway and how quickly a concern is escalated.
Ask who has the surgeon’s direct pathway and how quickly a concern is escalated.
03
A recovery-house employee should not independently rewrite the surgeon’s drain, medication or wound plan.
A recovery-house employee should not independently rewrite the surgeon’s drain, medication or wound plan.
Audit the physical space
01
Bed height, bathroom access, stairs, elevator, fall risk, air conditioning/ventilation, noise, companion space, food and transport.
Bed height, bathroom access, stairs, elevator, fall risk, air conditioning/ventilation, noise, companion space, food and transport.
02
Ask how many recovering patients one staff member may be helping at once.
Ask how many recovering patients one staff member may be helping at once.
03
Pretty photos tell you almost nothing about response at 2 a.m.
Pretty photos tell you almost nothing about response at 2 a.m.
The questions I would actually ask
- Who is onsite overnight?
- Which staff are licensed?
- Who calls the surgeon?
- What triggers emergency transfer?
- How many patients share one staff member?
- What services cost extra?
Use the answer, not just the reassurance. A good provider can usually tell you what is known, what still requires examination/testing, and what could change the plan.
Do not let the lead form become the medical record. Keep initial intake lightweight. Candidacy, diagnosis, medication instructions and detailed records belong with the licensed clinical team once there is a real clinical reason to collect them.
Want help turning this into a real Colombia plan?
Keep it simple. Tell me what you are exploring and where you are in the process. This goes into the same medical lead pipeline used across the Colombia sites.
Related guides
Network
Primary verification and safety starting points
- Colombia Ministry of Health — ReTHUS
- Colombia Ministry of Health — REPS
- CDC — Medical Tourism
- ASPS / multi-society — Gluteal Fat Grafting Safety Statement
- The Aesthetic Society — Gluteal Fat Grafting Safety Advisory
These sources support verification and general travel/safety literacy. They do not establish that any specific provider or procedure is appropriate for you.