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Why Foreign Patients See Only a Few Indian Hospitals (and How to Find More Safely)
By Priya, nurse and pharmacist | Last reviewed: October 16, 2026
Hospitals in India for foreign patients are far more numerous than the few names that appear in most searches and agent lists. To find more options safely, start with your treatment, search the official accreditation directories (NABH and JCI), contact several hospitals’ international patient departments directly, verify the doctors, and compare written estimates. Never rely on one agent’s list, because many medical travel facilitators are paid by commission.
Search for treatment in India and you will often see the same few hospitals in the same few cities, again and again. Patients from other countries then assume those are the only choices. They are not.
I am a nurse and a pharmacist, and I started MediGlobe to close this gap between patients who need care and the Indian hospitals that can provide it. In this guide I explain why the gap exists, what the data shows, and how you can widen your shortlist without losing safety.
Why the Same Few Hospitals in India Appear Everywhere
There is no single cause, but three reasons come up again and again.
1. Visibility is not quality. Search results and advertising favour hospitals and websites with large international marketing budgets. A hospital that appears first is easy to find. That does not make it the best match for your treatment, your budget or your city.
2. Commission-based middlemen. Many patients reach hospitals through agents and facilitators. One study of medical tourism facilitators notes that most are paid through commission, so their advice may be driven by financial benefit rather than the patient’s best interest. That does not mean every agent is dishonest. Some provide useful help, such as airport pickup and interpretation. But if an agent is paid by a hospital, the list they show you may only include hospitals that pay them.
3. Little neutral, comparable information. Independent sources that compare hospitals beyond the biggest names are hard to find. So patients fall back on whatever is easiest to find.
Hospitals in India for Foreign Patients: The Supply Is Larger Than You Think
The official numbers show how many accredited hospitals India has. According to an answer in India’s Rajya Sabha, India had 4,650 hospitals accredited by NABH as of December 31, 2024. The same data lists the top states: Haryana (615), Maharashtra (507), Delhi (484), Punjab (364), Rajasthan (340), Uttar Pradesh (328), Gujarat (313), Karnataka (271), Tamil Nadu (263) and Andhra Pradesh (235).
Notice how many different states appear on that list. Accredited hospitals are spread across the country, not only in the cities that foreign patients hear about most.
Two important cautions:
- Accreditation is not international readiness. These counts include hospitals that mainly serve local patients. Some of them may not have international patient services at all.
- Counts differ by source and date. Another government-linked page states 40 JCI-accredited and more than 1,400 NABH-accredited hospitals. The numbers differ because of the date and the way hospitals are counted. Always check the live NABH and JCI directories before you rely on any number.
What the Indian Government Is Doing: The Heal in India Portal
India’s government has recognised the visibility problem. Under its “Heal in India” initiative, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare developed a Medical Value Travel digital portal for foreign patients coming to India for treatment. The ministry’s own announcement says the portal is meant to help international patients through their medical journey, give Indian health facilities and professionals global presence and discoverability, and add transparency to the sector.
That is almost exactly the gap MediGlobe works on. Reports from 2022 also noted that Bangladesh, Iraq, Maldives, Afghanistan, Oman, Yemen, Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania together made up about 88 per cent of international patients visiting India. These are the patients who most need clear, trustworthy information.
Treat the portal as one useful source, not the only one. Listings and features can change, so check the official government website for the current version.
Accreditation Is Not the Same as Being Ready for Foreign Patients
A hospital can be accredited and still be hard for a foreign patient to use. Before you shortlist a hospital, check that it has:
- an international patient department with a named contact
- interpreters or staff who speak your language
- the ability to issue an invitation or treatment letter for your visa
- a clear, itemised estimate you can receive before you travel
- a plan for follow-up after you go home, such as tele-consults
- a discharge summary process, so your doctor at home gets your records
If a hospital cannot answer these questions clearly, that tells you something.
7 Safe Ways to Find More Hospitals in India for Foreign Patients
1. Start with the treatment, not the city or the hospital name.
Write down your exact diagnosis or procedure and get your records ready. Then look for hospitals with that department, not just a famous name.
2. Search the official accreditation directories.
Use the NABH website (nabh.co) to search for accredited hospitals by name, state or city. Use the JCI website (jointcommissioninternational.org) to search for JCI-accredited organisations in India. Check that the accreditation is current and covers the hospital you are considering.
3. Check the government’s Medical Value Travel portal.
Look for the official Heal in India or Medical Value Travel portal on a government website. Use it to discover hospitals you may not have heard of, then verify them yourself.
4. Contact several hospitals directly.
Email the international patient departments of at least three hospitals. Send each one the same reports and the same questions. Compare how fast and how clearly they respond. A good hospital answers openly.
5. Verify the doctors.
Check the doctor’s registration with the National Medical Commission or the relevant State Medical Council. Look at their experience with your specific procedure.
6. Compare written estimates.
Ask each hospital for an itemised estimate and what it includes and excludes. Compare inclusions, not just the total.
7. Get a second opinion.
Ask a doctor at home, and if possible one at a second hospital in India. If the opinions differ a lot, ask why.
Questions to Ask Any Agent or Website
If you use a facilitator, ask these questions and ask for the answers in writing:
- Who pays you? The hospital, me, or both?
- How much commission do you receive, and from which hospitals?
- Can you show me the hospital’s own quote? Compare it with your price.
- Will you show me more than one hospital for my treatment?
- Do you charge me any extra fee? For what?
- Who is responsible if something goes wrong?
A trustworthy facilitator answers these questions plainly. Be cautious if they avoid them, push you to decide fast, or refuse to name the hospital.
How to Compare Your Shortlist
Use the same table for every hospital:
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Accreditation | NABH or JCI, current, verified on the official website |
| Department | Strong department for your exact treatment |
| Doctor | Registration verified, experience with your procedure |
| International patient desk | Named contact, clear and quick answers |
| Estimate | Written, itemised, inclusions and exclusions listed |
| Infection control | Open answers to your questions |
| Follow-up | Tele-consult and discharge summary process |
Add the source and date for every answer. Your own notes become your evidence
Hospitals in India for Foreign Patients: Your Checklist
- My diagnosis, records and questions are ready
- I searched the NABH and JCI directories myself
- I checked the government Medical Value Travel portal
- I contacted at least three hospitals’ international patient departments
- I verified each doctor’s registration
- I have written, itemised estimates to compare
- I asked every agent how they are paid, in writing
- I asked for a second opinion
- I have a follow-up plan for when I return home
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited hospitals does India have?
As of December 31, 2024, an official answer in India’s Rajya Sabha reported 4,650 NABH-accredited hospitals. Figures change and differ by source and date, so check the live NABH directory for the current number.
Are all NABH-accredited hospitals suitable for foreign patients?
No. Accreditation measures quality and patient safety processes. It does not mean a hospital has international patient services, interpreters or visa support. Ask each hospital directly.
Do I need an agent to find a hospital in India?
No. You can contact hospitals’ international patient departments directly. If you use an agent, ask how they are paid and compare their quote with the hospital’s own.
Why do agents recommend the same hospitals in India?
Some agents earn commission from hospitals, so they may promote the hospitals that pay them. That can limit your choices. Ask for more than one option, and verify each yourself.
Is the government portal enough to choose a hospital?
It can help you discover hospitals, but you should still verify accreditation, doctors and estimates yourself.
Can hospitals outside the biggest cities treat foreign patients?
Many accredited hospitals exist across India’s states. Whether a specific hospital suits you depends on its department, its doctors and its international patient services, so check each one.
Sources
- Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 288 (February 4, 2025), State/UT-wise NABH accredited hospitals as on 31-12-2024, via data.gov.in (accessed October 16, 2026)
- “Role of Facilitators in the Medical Tourism Industry: A Study of Medical Tourism Facilitators in an Emerging Market,” tandfonline.com (accessed October 16, 2026)
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, “Heal in India” initiative, via Vikaspedia and MyGov (accessed October 16, 2026)
- Deccan Herald, “Heal in India” report on international patient countries (2022), deccanherald.com (accessed October 16, 2026)
- NABH: nabh.co | JCI: jointcommissioninternational.org | National Medical Commission: nmc.org.in (check each for current information)
Educational information, not medical advice. Always talk to your own doctor, and verify a hospital’s accreditation and a doctor’s registration on official websites before you travel for treatment.
About the author: Priya is a nurse and pharmacist (B.Sc. Nursing, D.Pharm) with around 8 years of clinical and academic experience, and the founder of MediGlobe.