Why the Form Asks What It Asks

Every field on the quote request form exists because it changes the number you receive. Some fields change it by thousands of dollars (the procedure field, obviously). Others change it by hundreds (your timeline, your health profile). None are decorative. Here is what each field does and how to fill it in for the most accurate result.

Name

Your name as it appears on your passport. This is used to open your file and, later, to coordinate with the clinic. If you are submitting on behalf of someone else (a parent, spouse, or child), put the patient's name here and note your relationship in the message field.

Email

Your primary email address. This is where the preliminary response and detailed quote will be sent if you do not provide a WhatsApp number. Use an email you check regularly. If you use a spam-aggressive provider (Outlook, Yahoo), add our domain to your contacts or check your junk folder after submitting. Many patients miss the first response because it landed in spam.

Phone / WhatsApp

A phone number where you can be reached on WhatsApp. This is the fastest communication channel in Colombia's medical ecosystem. Clinics, coordinators, and surgeons communicate on WhatsApp routinely. If you provide a WhatsApp number, your preliminary response will arrive there first. If you prefer email only, leave this blank, but expect a slower response cycle (hours instead of minutes for follow-up questions).

Include your country code. US numbers: +1. Canadian numbers: +1. UK: +44. If you are unsure, include it anyway and we will figure it out.

Country

Where you currently live. This field matters for three reasons. First, it determines which cost comparison is relevant: US cash-pay, Canadian wait-list context, or European NHS alternative. Second, it affects logistics advice: flight routes, entry requirements, and time zone for scheduling consultations. Third, for specific patient situations (Canadian provincial wait lists, US VA FMP claims, high-deductible US plans), your country triggers situation-specific guidance. The articles on Canadian patients and high-deductible plans cover these in detail.

Procedure

The most important field on the form. Be as specific as you can. "Knee replacement" is better than "orthopedic surgery." "Total knee replacement, left knee, possible robotic-assisted" is better than "knee replacement." The more specific you are, the more accurate the preliminary response, and the fewer follow-up questions you will receive.

If you are considering multiple procedures in the same trip, list all of them. Combining procedures affects scheduling, anesthesia planning, and pricing (many clinics offer package discounts for combined procedures). If you are not sure which procedure you need, say so: "I have been told I need either a tummy tuck or a body lift, but I am not sure which" is a perfectly valid answer. The surgeon will help determine the right approach during the virtual consultation.

Situation

This is the field most patients leave blank, and it is the one that makes the biggest difference in the quality of the response you receive. "Situation" means: why are you looking abroad? What is your current insurance status? Have you already been quoted domestically? Is there a clinical urgency?

Examples of high-value situation statements: "Uninsured, US cash-pay quotes are $18,000+ for gastric sleeve, looking for alternatives." "Canadian, provincial wait list is 14 months for knee replacement, looking to go sooner." "Insured with a $6,000 deductible, cosmetic procedure not covered, comparing out-of-pocket options." "Had a rhinoplasty in the US, not happy with the result, looking for a revision surgeon in Colombia."

Each of these situations changes how the coordinator triages your request, which clinic is matched, and what additional information is requested. The more context you provide, the better the match.

Timeline

When you want to have the procedure. Options range from "as soon as possible" to "6+ months out." This field affects which surgeons are available (popular surgeons book 4 to 8 weeks out), whether expedited pre-op testing is needed, and the urgency of the response. See Urgent vs Flexible: How Your Timeline Changes the Quote for the full breakdown.

Message

A free-text field for anything else. The most useful things to include: your BMI or weight (for bariatric and cosmetic procedures), relevant medical history (diabetes, blood pressure medication, prior surgeries in the same area), whether you are bringing a companion, your preferred city in Colombia (Medellin, Bogota, Cali, or no preference), and any specific concerns or priorities (privacy, language, facility tier).

This field is optional but powerful. Patients who use it well get faster, more accurate preliminary responses because the coordinator has enough context to match the right clinic on the first try instead of going back and forth.

Fields That Do Not Exist (and Why)

The form does not ask for your income, insurance company name, credit card information, social security number, or government ID. If any form claiming to be ours asks for these, it is not ours. The form does not ask for your race, religion, or other demographic information because none of it changes the medical quote. And the form does not ask you to create an account, sign up for a newsletter, or agree to marketing communications. You submit information for a specific purpose (getting a medical quote), and that is the only thing it is used for.

Some information that might seem relevant is deliberately omitted. We do not ask for your insurance company because most US insurance does not cover elective procedures abroad, making the question irrelevant for most patients. If your insurance situation is relevant (HDHP, VA FMP, Canadian provincial plan), you include it in the situation field. We do not ask for your exact weight because BMI varies by procedure relevance: the coordinator asks for it during follow-up only when it affects the quote (bariatric, cosmetic, procedures with weight limits).

What Happens After You Submit

Your submission enters the review queue. Within 24 to 72 hours, you receive a preliminary response with a cost range, clinic match, and follow-up questions. The full process is described in How a Quote Request Becomes a Treatment Plan. Every field you filled in above makes that process faster and the result more accurate. A well-completed form is the single best thing you can do to accelerate the entire process from submission to booked date.

Disclaimer: This site helps you submit information to receive personalized medical quotes. It is not medical advice. Always consult with qualified medical professionals before making treatment decisions.
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Want to See the Numbers First?

Check procedure-specific cost estimates before you submit your request. US cash-pay vs Colombia ranges, worked through line by line. How we build an estimate →

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to fill in every field?
Name, email, and procedure are required. Everything else improves the quality and speed of your response. A submission with only the required fields will take longer to process because the coordinator needs to ask for the missing context. A submission with every field filled in thoughtfully can move to the clinic-matching stage the same day.
What if I am not sure which procedure I need?
Describe your situation and symptoms. The coordinator can route your request to a surgeon who will help determine the appropriate procedure during the virtual consultation. You do not need a diagnosis to submit a request. You need enough detail for someone to point you in the right direction.