Checklist
Compare hospitals in India on the same questions, in writing, side by side. Check accreditation on the NABH and JCI websites, the treating specialist’s registration on the Indian Medical Register, the proposed plan, what the estimate includes, the support for international patients and the follow-up offered. Fill one column per hospital and keep the answers with your records.
When you ask several hospitals for an opinion, the replies rarely arrive in the same format. One gives a detailed plan. Another sends only an estimate. This worksheet puts them on one page so you can see gaps. Copy the rows into a table with one column for each hospital. Ask each hospital the same questions by email. Where a hospital does not answer, write ‘not answered’ rather than guessing.
Accreditation and registration
- Is the hospital listed on the NABH website, and what is its status?
- Is the hospital accredited by JCI, according to JCI’s own information?
- Name of the treating specialist and their medical registration number.
- Does the registration appear on the Indian Medical Register?
- Which department and team will manage the case?
The proposed plan
- What diagnosis does the specialist understand from your reports?
- What treatment is proposed?
- Which additional tests are needed on arrival?
- Does the plan match the opinions from other hospitals? Note any differences.
- Who decides the final plan, and when?
- What happens if the plan changes after arrival?
The estimate
- Does the estimate state the room category?
- Does it list what is included and excluded?
- Does it say how many days in hospital it assumes?
- Are implants, medicines and consumables included or charged separately?
- How are extra days or complications charged?
- What deposit is asked for and how is it refunded if treatment does not go ahead?
Support for international patients
- Is there an international patient department with a named coordinator?
- Which languages can be interpreted?
- Will the hospital issue the visa invitation letter?
- Is airport pick-up offered?
- Can an attendant stay with the patient?
- How quickly does the hospital answer emails?
Discharge and follow-up
- What will be provided at discharge: summary, reports, images on disc?
- Is a review visit included before flying home?
- Is remote follow-up offered after you return?
- Who do you contact with a problem after you are home?
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How should you weigh the answers?
There is no score that picks a hospital for you. Look for clear, consistent answers and a named specialist. Be cautious when a reply is vague about the plan but precise about payment. Discuss significant differences between medical opinions with your doctor at home.
Accreditation is one input
NABH and JCI accreditation show that a hospital has been assessed against published standards. They do not tell you which hospital or doctor suits your case. Your treating specialist decides whether treatment is suitable.
Questions people ask
How many hospitals should I compare?
There is no fixed number. Two or three detailed, written opinions are often enough to see whether specialists agree. More replies can make the decision harder rather than easier. Focus on the quality of the answers to the questions in this worksheet.
Will IndiaMedica fill this in for me?
Your case manager can collect written replies from hospitals to the same questions and lay them out side by side. Partner hospitals pay IndiaMedica a disclosed referral fee, and that fee never changes the price you pay. You make the final choice.
Sources
- NABH – Find an accredited healthcare organisation
- Joint Commission International – Accreditation
- National Medical Commission – Indian Medical Register
General information, not medical or legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the official source. How we write and check.