Visa and travel arrangement for international patients
All patients travelling to India for medical treatment require a visa and must visit the Indian embassy in their respective city/country to secure a visa. Global Hospitals will help you facilitate the paperwork necessary for the Visa, however, the final grant of visa rests upon the embassy and its officials. The embassy may ask for documentation such as proof of address, income to pay for the medical expenses, insurance undertaking, prescription and treatment plan and others as part of the visa application. A visa fee is also levied and must be borne by the individual. If a patient is travelling with a caregiver, the same procedure must be followed to secure a visa for the caregiver.

The easiest means of travel to India and the various Global Hospital locations would be via flight. Each of the four cities where our hospitals are located, which includes Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai are well connected with the leading destinations in the world. Global Hospitals’ representatives can help you find the most viable route and plan your travel accordingly. However, we cannot give any assurance of price or availability – both rests on the demand/supply dynamics of the market.

Global Hospitals works extensively with its international patients to ensure that their travels are hassle-free and easy. However, patients ought to be vigilant and well aware of their rights and responsibilities. Prior to travel they must check for the following,

• Valid visa and travel arrangements.
• Medical records like X-Rays, MRI’s, health histories, photographs, immunization records, prescriptions and any other health records relevant to the surgery. Remember to carry all these medical reports and any medicines in your carry-on luggage. Global Hospitals provides you with locker facilities for your valuables and important documents.
• A confirmation from the local doctor on travel fitness.
• Availability of the doctor and facilities for the procedure at the Hospital you are traveling to. Confirmation of facilities to stay during the course of the treatment.
• An international driver’s license, if you wish to drive in India.
• Understand the estimate cost and quality of care to be provided.
• Have a clear understanding of the follow-up care and time required for recovery.
• If you are traveling abroad for medical reasons for the first time, there are certain pointers to overcome Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) which includes taking short walks down the aisle on the plane, exercising the muscles of your lower legs, which act as a pump for the blood in the veins, wearing loose fitting clothes, drinking enough water, avoiding alcohol and other caffeinated drinks.

Every visitor to India, including medical tourists, need to obtain a valid Indian visa for the purpose and duration of their travel. The visa can be attained by approaching the Indian embassy or high commissioner in your respective city or the one that is closest to your city. The Indian embassy or high commissioner will review your application and adjudicate on the visa.

You can find a list of Indian embassies in various parts of the world in the following link: https://mea.gov.in/indian-missions-abroad-new.htm

Global Hospitals works closely with the patient and the next of kin travelling with the patients to provide necessary accommodation and other facilities. We try our best to ensure that the patients and caregivers are offered the best of accommodation suiting the individual needs of people concerned. However, depending on the supply and demand of such facilities, all the requirements may not be catered to at all times. Global Hospitals offers facilities for safekeeping of valuable items and documents.

A Patient Relations Cell is tasked with ensuring that all our in-patients have an extremely friendly and hassle-free patient experience while at Global Hospitals. Our patients are provided with the best of infrastructure, facilities and staff assistance to make their hospital stay pleasant. We hope to deliver the right treatment and value for patients and their family members.

Our dedicated staff and tireless personnel will strive to ensure that you have a pleasant stay at the hospital. In case of any concerns, the Patient Relations Cell acts as a facilitator to arrive at a solution that is within the rules of the Hospital; meets the concerns of the patients; and does not infringe upon the rights of other patients and hospital staff.

The following concerns are handled by the Patient Relations Cell:

• Concerns about your hospitalization
• Questions on the Hospital policies
• Questions on the services rendered at Global Hospitals
• Any special needs that of the patient and/or family members