ESE Hospital Universitario del Caribe

What ESE Hospital Universitario del Caribe does

ESE Hospital Universitario del Caribe is a public university hospital (Empresa Social del Estado) located in the Zaragocilla neighborhood of Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia, owned and overseen by the Gobernación de Bolívar. Founded in 2006, it operates as the principal regional referral hospital for the Caribbean region, providing comprehensive care across emergency services (24/7), specialized outpatient consultations, diagnostic and therapeutic support (laboratory, imaging, endoscopy), surgery, ICU and intermediate care, hospitalization, comprehensive functional rehabilitation, chronic disease management, and newer specialty units including gynecological oncology, stomatology, and a forthcoming pediatrics unit. Capacity has grown from approximately 56 beds to 300+ beds through phased expansions, including two new floors with 116 beds inaugurated in 2020 and additional COVID-19 and hospitalization capacity.

The hospital maintains a formal academic affiliation with Universidad de Cartagena for medical teaching, residency training, and research, and runs HUCampus Virtual as an internal education platform. After a six-year forced intervention by the Superintendencia Nacional de Salud (Supersalud) from 2016 to 2022 due to financial distress, the institution was returned to departmental administration in a financially healthy state and has since been recognized by Supersalud for leadership in ESE turnaround and named the best public hospital in Cartagena for two consecutive years in a global ranking. ESG performance is notable, including Ecozona waste-management recognition and membership in the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals network.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: capitation (UPC) reimbursements from EPS (Health Promoting Entities) under Colombia's mandatory health insurance system, fee-for-service payments for specific procedures billed to EPS or patients, and direct government transfers and subsidies from the Gobernación de Bolívar and national government for public health services. Pricing is regulated by government tariffs, and the hospital complements institutional payor relationships (notably a partnership with Nueva EPS dedicating 56 beds to its affiliates) with direct-to-patient access via emergency walk-ins, phone appointments, and EPS referrals. Distribution is exclusively direct service delivery at the main hospital facility, with patient-facing digital touchpoints limited to PQRSF petitions, correspondence tracking, and clinical history access through the institutional website.

Name

ESE Hospital Universitario del Caribe

Legal name

E.S.E. Hospital Universitario del Caribe

Website

https://hucaribe.gov.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ESE Hospital Universitario del Caribe is a public university hospital in Cartagena, Colombia, owned by the Gobernación de Bolívar and affiliated with Universidad de Cartagena. It serves as the principal regional referral hospital for the Caribbean region, providing comprehensive emergency, inpatient, surgical, and specialty care through Colombia's mandatory public health insurance system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cartagena

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Health System Reimbursements (UPC payments): Capitation payments from EPS (Empresas Promotoras de Salud) for enrolled patients under Colombia's mandatory health insurance system.
2. Fee-for-Service Revenue: Payment for specific medical services rendered to patients, billed to EPS or patients directly.
3. Government Subsidies and Transfers: Direct transfers and subsidies from departmental (Gobernación de Bolívar) and national government for public health services and interventions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

E.S.E. Hospital Universitario del Caribe is a public university hospital that delivers comprehensive healthcare services to the population of Cartagena and the Bolívar department. It operates 24/7 emergency care, specialized outpatient consultations, diagnostic and therapeutic support (laboratory, imaging, endoscopy), surgical services, hospitalization, ICU and intermediate care, functional rehabilitation, and chronic disease management, alongside teaching and research programs in partnership with Universidad de Cartagena.

Product overview

ESE Hospital Universitario del Caribe is a public university hospital in Cartagena, Colombia that functions as a comprehensive healthcare services platform. The hospital operates a network of core clinical services including 24-hour emergency care (Urgencias), specialized outpatient consultations, diagnostic and therapeutic support (laboratory, imaging, endoscopy), surgical services, functional rehabilitation, hospitalization with ICU/intermediate care capabilities, and chronic disease management. The hospital operates as a platform with multiple integrated services that work together to provide comprehensive patient care, supported by a virtual campus (HUCampus Virtual) for staff training and education in partnership with Universidad de Cartagena. Patient-facing digital services include electronic correspondence, PQRSF petition management, and clinical history systems. The hospital also conducts medical research and provides teaching services for healthcare professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Urgencias (Emergency Services) 24-hour emergency care service providing immediate medical attention for acute conditions and urgent health needs, available to the general public at no direct cost for emergency stabilization.
• Consulta Externa Especializada (Specialized Outpatient Consultation) Specialized outpatient medical consultations with accredited specialists, available Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., serving patients through EPS referrals and direct appointment scheduling.
• Apoyo Diagnóstico y Terapéutico (Diagnostic and Therapeutic Support) Laboratory and imaging services including clinical laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging, and endoscopy procedures supporting patient diagnosis and treatment across all hospital service lines.
• Cirugía (Surgery) Surgical services utilizing operating rooms for various surgical procedures across specialties, supporting inpatient and emergency surgical care needs.
• Servicio de Rehabilitación Funcional Integral (Comprehensive Functional Rehabilitation) Physical and functional rehabilitation services to help patients recover and regain abilities following illness, surgery, or injury.
• Hospitalización (Hospitalization) Inpatient care services providing hospital beds for extended treatment and recovery, with capacity expanded to 300+ beds through new floors and additional beds.
• Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos e Intermedios (ICU and Intermediate Care) Critical care units providing intensive and intermediate care for seriously ill patients, supported by central monitoring systems and biomedical equipment.
• Atención Integral a Pacientes con Enfermedades Crónicas (Chronic Disease Care) Comprehensive care program for patients with chronic diseases requiring ongoing management and continuous monitoring across multiple specialties.
• Docencia Servicio (Teaching and Service) Medical education program operated in partnership with Universidad de Cartagena, training future healthcare professionals through hands-on service learning at the hospital.
• Investigaciones (Research) Medical research initiatives conducted at the university hospital in partnership with Universidad de Cartagena.
• HUCampus Virtual (Virtual Campus) Virtual education platform for staff training and professional development, developed in partnership with Universidad de Cartagena.

Quantifiable outcome

• Expanded from 56 to 300+ beds with new floors and units
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Universidad de CartagenacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic affiliation providing accredited specialists for the hospital while the hospital serves as a platform for medical student training and professional development. The relationship enables access to highly qualified specialists and maintains continuous medical education standards.
• Nueva EPSmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHealth insurance provider partnership. The hospital allocated 56 beds for exclusive care of Nueva EPS affiliates in Cartagena and northern Colombia, strengthening services to patients.
• Superintendencia Nacional de Salud (Supersalud)coreOthersRegulatory oversight agency that intervened the hospital for financial recovery. Supersalud lifted the special surveillance status after successful turnaround, recognizing improved management.
• Gobernación de BolívarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartmental government partner providing strategic investment and support for hospital infrastructure improvements including new beds, pediatric unit, and facility upgrades.
• Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía de CórdobaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational referential visit for environmental sustainability best practices. The HUC strengthened its environmental commitment following referentation visit.
• Buque Hospital ComfortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS Navy hospital ship that donated biomedical equipment to support the hospital's intensive care unit capabilities.
• ESE Hospital Rosario Pumarejo de LópezminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferencing partnership for sharing successful experiences and best practices in healthcare management.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Others

• Universidad de Cartagena: Public university operating HUC's teaching program and supplying its specialist physicians. Included as an ecosystem peer given the structural academic partnership that underpins HUC's talent and teaching moat.
• Nueva EPS: One of Colombia's largest health insurers and a Channel Partner that has dedicated 56 beds at HUC. Included as an ecosystem peer given its role as a primary payer and demand source for HUC's services.

Direct peers

• Hospital Universitario San Ignacio: Bogotá-based private university hospital (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana) offering comparable tertiary inpatient, outpatient, surgical, and teaching services. Directly comparable as a Colombian university hospital of similar scope.
• Hospital Universitario de la Samaritana: Public university hospital in Bogotá affiliated with Universidad de la Sabana, providing similar inpatient, specialty outpatient, ICU, and teaching services under the ESE framework.
• Hospital Universitario Erasmo Meoz: Public university hospital in Cúcuta operating under ESE structure, providing high-complexity services to a Colombian border department — comparable referral hospital model.
• ESE Hospital General de Medellín: Public ESE general hospital of comparable scale and service mix (emergency, inpatient, ICU, surgical), serving as a high-complexity referral facility for its department.

Regional players

• Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia: High-complexity specialty hospital in Santander offering advanced cardiovascular and tertiary care; comparable as a Colombian hospital with university affiliations and regional referral status, though more specialty-focused.

Broad incumbents

• Clínica del Country: Large private hospital in Bogotá operated by a national healthcare group; comparable in service breadth (emergency, surgery, ICU, diagnostics) and patient scale, though private rather than public ESE.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hucaribe1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDZY29v7Jf_8-Ae99GS70wQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/hospitaluniversitariodelcaribe
• Instagraminstagram.com/hospital.universitario.caribe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hospital-universitario-del-caribe

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ESE Hospital Universitario del Caribe