Colombia's pharmaceutical market reached 29.7 trillion COP in 2024, with local production at 8.83 trillion COP. The market is dominated by major chains like Cruz Verde (39.9% market share, 730+ locations), Coopidrogas (23.4%, 9,200+ affiliated drugstores), and Drogas La Rebaja (11.6%, 800+ locations).
Colombian Healthcare Software Market
Key Regulatory Bodies
- INVIMA: Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos - regulates pharmaceuticals
- EPS: Entidades Promotoras de Salud - health insurance entities
- IPS: Instituciones Prestadoras de Servicios de Salud - healthcare providers
- MinSalud: Ministry of Health - policy and digital transformation
- DIAN: Tax authority for electronic invoicing compliance
Market Statistics
- 81% of Colombian households use neighborhood drugstores
- 60%+ of independent pharmacies still use pen and paper
- 40% of patients cannot find needed medications at independent pharmacies
- Pharmaceutical contribution: 12.2% of industrial GDP, 1.5% of total GDP
Local Colombian Competitors
Pharmacy Software
Hospital Software
INVIMA Regulatory Requirements
InvimAgil 2025 Modernization
Resolution 2025029237 (July 17, 2025) adopted the new pro-competitive model:
- Modernized administrative procedures
- Reduced response times
- Digital tools for internal and external processes
- Improved citizen interaction
Key Regulations
- Decree 677 of 1995: Regime of Registries and Licenses
- Resolution 1403 of 2007: Essential conditions for pharmaceutical services
- Decree 334 of 2022: Advertising control for OTC medications
- Resolution 1896 of 2023: Phytotherapeutic advertising
Pharmacy Technical Requirements (Resolution 1403)
- Minimum area: 20 square meters
- Infrastructure: Washable floors/walls, visible "Droguería" sign
- Equipment: Adequate shelving, calibrated thermo-hygrometers, refrigeration
- Technical Director: Pharmaceutical chemist or licensed pharmacist required
- Documentation: Manual of processes and procedures
EPS Insurance Integration
Electronic Invoicing Requirements
Decree 441 of 2022 regulates electronic invoicing in health sector:
- Interoperability between IPS and EPS systems
- Resolution 2275 of 2023 and Resolution 1884 of 2024 requirements
- Medium-complexity institutions: February 1, 2025 deadline
RIPS Integration
Resolution 1557 of 2023 established the Unique RIPS Validator:
- Software tool verifying consistency and validity
- Must validate on official platform before invoicing
- Files generated in JSON format
Legal Requirements for EPS/IPS Electronic Invoicing
- Registration in RUT as active taxpayer
- Valid Digital Signature Certificate
- DIAN-compliant electronic invoicing software
MIPRES Integration (Mi Prescripción)
Circular 044 of December 26, 2025:
- MIPRES is sole mechanism for UPC-financed medication prescription
- MIPRES version 2.4 mandatory
- Integration with SISMED, INVIMA, EPS, IPS, laboratories
- Voluntary phase: March 1 - May 31, 2026
- Mandatory: June 1, 2026
COP Pricing Overview
Software Pricing in Colombia
PharmaPOS for Colombia
Payment Methods in Colombia
Digital Wallets (Leading the Market)
- Nequi: 54% of Colombians, 13.5 million users
- Daviplata: 22% usage, 14.6 million users
- PayPal: 25% usage
PSE (Pagos Seguros en Línea)
- Most widely adopted e-commerce payment method
- Direct bank account debits
- Integrated by most platforms
Payment Gateways
Bre-B System (Launching June 2025)
- Instant payment system from Banco de la República
- Modeled after Brazil's PIX
- Expected to increase A2A payments
Projections
Digital wallets expected to represent 32% of POS transaction volume by 2030.
Healthcare Digital Initiatives
Interoperable Electronic Health Record (IHCE)
Law 2015 of 2020 and Adoption Plan 2023-2025:
- 5-year plan concluding in 2025
- Phase 0: Technical preparation and pilot
- Phase 1: 5 territorial entities (2023)
- Phase 2: 15 territorial entities (2024)
- Phase 3: 19 entities + independent professionals (2024)
Resolution 1888 of 2025 - Digital Summary (RDA)
- 6-month deadline from October 15, 2025 for IPS interoperation
- Each health attention must generate digital summary
- Essential patient data required
Regional Progress
- Antioquia: 23.6 billion COP in health technology investment
- First compliant: Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Meta, Valle del Cauca
DIAN Electronic Invoicing
Resolution 165 of 2023 Requirements
- Large taxpayers: May 1, 2024
- Income tax declarants: June 1, 2024
- Non-declarants: July 1, 2024
Technical Requirements
- Version 1.9 of electronic invoice technical annex
- Digital signature certificate
- DIAN-compliant software
Health Sector Additional Requirements
- Patient document type and ID number
- Contributive or subsidized regime indication
- Billing period dates
- RIPS integration (Resolutions 1036/2022 and 2806/2022)
Penalties
1% fine on undocumented operations (Article 652, Tax Statute)
Why Choose PharmaPOS for Colombia
PharmaPOS offers advantages for Colombian pharmacies:
Key Benefits
- INVIMA-Ready: Compliance tracking and documentation
- RIPS Integration: JSON format exports for EPS billing
- Offline Operation: Works without internet - critical for rural Colombia
- COP Pricing: One-time payment, no ongoing subscription fees
- Spanish Interface: Full Spanish language support
- Nequi/PSE: Native digital wallet support
- DIAN Compatible: Electronic invoicing ready
Comparison vs Subscription Software
Getting Started
PharmaPOS provides complete pharmacy management for Colombian pharmacies with INVIMA compliance and offline capability. HospitalOS offers comprehensive hospital management ready for IHCE integration.
Contact us for a demonstration with Spanish language support and COP pricing.
