Chidi is sitting at his dining table in Lagos with a brown envelope of MRI films, two pathology reports and a referral letter that ends with “consider treatment abroad.” His mother needs surgery, and the local waiting list is long. A cousin mentioned India. Chidi’s first question is not about flights. It is simpler and more anxious: do we actually need to go? In Nairobi, a woman is asking the same thing about her husband’s heart scans.
You can get most of that answer without leaving home. An online consultation with Indian doctors lets a specialist review your records, speak to you on video and tell you whether travel makes sense, before you spend anything on tickets. This guide follows the process in the order it really happens, from the papers on your table to the letter you need for your visa.
By the end of this guide you will have:
- A clear checklist of the records to gather and how to send scan images so a doctor in India can actually open them.
- A ready-to-adapt enquiry email and a list of questions for your video call.
- A realistic picture of what you should receive afterwards: a written opinion, a cost estimate and the hospital letter that supports an e-Medical visa application.
A quick note before we start: this article is general guidance for patients and families planning care abroad. It is not medical advice, and nothing here replaces the judgment of your own doctor or the treating specialist.
Step 1: Gather and Digitise Your Medical Records
A specialist in Delhi or Chennai cannot examine your mother, so in any online consultation with Indian doctors your records do the talking. Incomplete files are the most common reason a hospital replies “please send more information” instead of a plan.
The core documents almost every department asks for
- A summary from your current doctor covering diagnosis, treatment so far and reason for referral.
- Recent imaging reports (CT, MRI, PET, ultrasound, X-ray) with dates, plus the images themselves.
- Laboratory results from the last three months.
- Biopsy or histopathology reports, if any.
- Discharge summaries and operation notes from previous admissions.
- A current medication list with doses and allergies.
- The patient’s passport bio page, so the hospital registers the name exactly as the visa letter will need it.
Why the actual scan images matter (DICOM, explained simply)
A radiology report is one radiologist’s interpretation; a surgeon usually wants to see the pictures. Scanners store images as DICOM, the international standard for medical imaging data, which keeps every slice for the doctor to scroll through. Phone photos of films or WhatsApp screenshots are rarely enough. Ask the imaging centre for a CD, USB or download link of the full study. If you only have films, ask whether the centre still holds the digital files; it often does.
Scanning paper reports so they are readable
- Use a scanner or a phone scanning app that flattens pages and removes shadows.
- Save as PDFs with clear names, such as 2026-09-14_MRI-brain-report.pdf, combining related pages into one file.
- Check that stamps, signatures and reference ranges are legible.
Translation: when you need it
Indian hospitals work in English, and reports from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana or Bangladesh usually are too. Families from Iraq, Oman, Ethiopia or francophone countries may hold reports in Arabic, Amharic or French. Get a certified translation of the key documents (referral summary, biopsy and latest imaging report) and send the originals alongside so numbers can be cross-checked.
Documents to send by specialty
Different departments look for different evidence. Use this table as a starting checklist, then add anything your own doctor thinks is relevant.
| Specialty | Essential documents | Helpful extras |
|---|---|---|
| Oncology (cancer) | Biopsy / histopathology report, staging scans (CT, MRI or PET-CT) with DICOM images, oncologist’s summary | Immunohistochemistry or molecular test results, chemotherapy or radiation history with dates and doses, tumour marker trends |
| Cardiac | ECG, echocardiogram report, angiography report with the recorded video or images if available | Stress test, cardiac MRI or CT, lipid profile, kidney function, list of cardiac medicines |
| Orthopaedic | Recent X-rays of the affected joint or spine (standing views where relevant), MRI for soft tissue or spinal problems | Previous implant details and operation notes, bone density scan, photos or short video of walking or range of movement |
| Transplant (kidney, liver) | Recent kidney or liver function tests, dialysis history or liver disease summary, blood group of patient and potential donor | Viral markers, imaging of the organ, donor’s basic health information and relationship to the patient with supporting documents |
| Neurology / neurosurgery | MRI brain or spine with DICOM images, neurologist’s summary | EEG or nerve conduction reports, video of seizures or movement symptoms, previous surgical notes |
For transplants, India has strict legal rules on living donation, so mention the donor and their relationship to the patient in your first enquiry. Our guide to the best organ transplant hospitals in India covers this in more depth.
Step 2: Choose the Right Department and Hospital
Sending your file to ten hospitals at once usually produces ten slightly different replies and a lot of confusion. Shortlist two or three.
Match the condition to the department
A spine problem could belong to orthopaedics or neurosurgery; a liver tumour to surgical oncology or a transplant unit. Use the specialty your referral names, or let the international patient desk route the case and tell you which team is reviewing it.
Check the basics before you send anything
- Accreditation. Look for NABH (India’s national hospital standard) and, for some hospitals, JCI. Our step-by-step piece on how to verify Indian hospital accreditation shows where to confirm it.
- Experience with your condition. Ask how many similar cases the team handles.
- An international patient desk to handle records, calls, visa letters and arrival.
- The doctor’s registration. Doctors practising in India must be registered with a State Medical Council or the National Medical Commission. Search the Indian Medical Register on the NMC website. Our sibling guide on how to check surgeon qualifications before treatment abroad walks through it.
For cancer care, our overview of top oncologists in India is a reasonable place to start a shortlist.
Direct to the hospital, or through a facilitator?
Both routes work. A facilitator helps most when you want several opinions side by side, when language is a barrier, or when you are short on time. We lay out the honest trade-offs in medical tourism agency vs direct hospital booking.
Step 3: Send the Enquiry (and What to Write)
A coordinator should understand in under a minute who the patient is, what is wrong, what you want and how urgent it is. Facts first, story second.
What a strong enquiry includes
- Patient’s full name as it appears on the passport, age, sex and country.
- The diagnosis in one or two lines, in your doctor’s words.
- What you are asking for: a second opinion, a treatment plan, a cost estimate, a video consultation, or all of these.
- Any time pressure, such as a doctor’s warning that treatment should start within a few weeks.
- A list of attached files and how the images are being shared.
- Who the main contact is, with phone number, WhatsApp availability and time zone.
Sample enquiry email template
Adapt the wording below to your situation. Keep the structure, change the details.
Subject: Second opinion and teleconsultation request — [Patient name], [age], [diagnosis] — from [country]
Dear International Patient Services team,
I am writing on behalf of my [mother / husband / self], [full name as on passport], aged [age], who lives in [city, country]. Her doctor has diagnosed [condition, in the doctor’s words] and has advised that she may benefit from [surgery / further treatment] that is difficult to access locally.
We would be grateful for: (1) a review of her records by the relevant specialist, (2) a preliminary opinion on the recommended treatment, (3) an approximate cost estimate including expected hospital stay, and (4) the option of a video consultation with the specialist before we decide on travel.
Attached: referral summary from Dr [name], MRI report dated [date], biopsy report dated [date], blood tests from [date], current medicines list, and passport bio page. The full MRI images in DICOM format are available via [download link / will be sent by courier on request].
Her doctor has advised that treatment should ideally begin within [timeframe]. Please let me know if you need any further reports.
I can be reached by email or on WhatsApp at [number]. We are in [time zone, e.g. West Africa Time, UTC+1].
Thank you for your time,
[Your name], [relationship to patient]
Sending large image files safely
DICOM studies can be hundreds of megabytes, too big for email. Ask whether the hospital has a secure upload portal or accepts a file-sharing link, password-protect links where you can, and keep medical files out of group chats.
Step 4: Receive the Preliminary Opinion and Cost Estimate
Turnaround depends on the hospital, the department and how complete your records are. Complex cancer or transplant files can take longer because several specialists may review them. A polite follow-up after a few working days is normal.
What the preliminary opinion usually contains
- The specialist’s reading of the diagnosis, and whether they agree with it.
- The recommended treatment or procedure, sometimes with alternatives.
- Any further tests they want done, either at home or on arrival in India.
- An estimate of the length of hospital stay and the total time to remain in India.
- The name of the consultant who reviewed the case.
Reading the cost estimate properly
An estimate built from records alone is a reasoned forecast, not a fixed bill. Check what is included (surgeon’s fees, room category, ICU days, implants, medicines, tests, physiotherapy) and what is excluded. Room type alone can shift the total noticeably.
Is a second opinion from India online enough on its own?
Sometimes the written opinion settles it, even confirming that the local plan is sound and travel is unnecessary. Often it raises questions only a conversation can answer.
Step 5: Book Your Online Consultation With Indian Doctors by Video
A written report tells you what the doctor thinks. A video call lets you ask follow-up questions and judge whether you trust them. For many families, this is when the decision is made.
Time zones: working with IST
India runs on a single time zone, India Standard Time (IST), which is UTC+5:30 and does not change for daylight saving. That half-hour offset catches people out. A quick reference:
- Lagos, Accra (Ghana is UTC+0): Lagos is 4 hours 30 minutes behind IST; Accra is 5 hours 30 minutes behind. A 3:00 pm IST call is 10:30 am in Lagos and 9:30 am in Accra.
- Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam (UTC+3): 2 hours 30 minutes behind IST.
- Riyadh, Kuwait, Baghdad, Doha, Manama (UTC+3): also 2 hours 30 minutes behind.
- Dubai, Muscat (UTC+4): 1 hour 30 minutes behind.
- Dhaka (UTC+6): 30 minutes ahead of IST.
Specialists usually hold teleconsultations around their clinic and theatre schedules, often late morning or afternoon IST. Always confirm the time in both zones in writing, for example “Tuesday 4:00 pm IST / 1:30 pm EAT.”
Platforms you might be asked to use
Some hospital groups run their own telehealth apps; others use Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams or WhatsApp video. Ask which, install it on the device you will use, and test the link a day early.
Teleconsultation fees
Fees vary between hospitals and specialists. Some desks review records free and charge only for the video call; others charge for both. Ask for the fee and payment method in writing, and whether it is adjusted against treatment if you travel. Never pay into a personal account.
What Indian rules say about teleconsultation
India’s Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, issued in March 2020 by the Board of Governors then overseeing the Medical Council of India, with NITI Aayog, set out how registered doctors may consult remotely. They recognise video, audio and text as valid ways to consult, require patient consent and documentation, and restrict which medicines may be prescribed remotely. Two points matter for international families:
- The guidelines state they do not cover consultations outside India. A call with a patient abroad is in practice expert opinion; do not expect a prescription you can fill at home. Your local doctor stays in charge of day-to-day treatment.
- They note that remote consultation cannot replace examinations needing touch or a stethoscope. A doctor who says “I need to examine her before confirming the plan” is showing good practice.
Step 6: Prepare for the Call
An online consultation with Indian doctors tends to be focused and time-limited. Families who prepare get noticeably more out of the same twenty or thirty minutes.
Technical checklist
- Use a laptop or tablet so shared scans are visible.
- Charge fully and have a power bank ready if power cuts are common.
- Sit near the router, pause other streaming and keep mobile data as backup.
- Choose a quiet room with light on your face, and use earphones with a mic.
- Keep the coordinator’s WhatsApp number handy in case the link fails.
People checklist
Ideally the patient joins, plus one family member taking notes, with one agreed main speaker. If the patient’s first language is not English, arrange an interpreter; see our guide to a medical interpreter for hospital appointments in India.
Questions to write down before the call
- Do you agree with the diagnosis? Is anything unclear in the records?
- What treatment do you recommend, and what are the alternatives?
- What results do patients like this usually have, and what are the main risks?
- Do we need any new tests before travelling? Can they be done here?
- How long will the patient be in hospital, and how long should we stay in India in total?
- Is the patient fit to fly now? Is there anything to watch for during travel?
- Who will be the treating consultant, and will we meet them on arrival?
- What follow-up will be needed after we return home?
Many of these overlap with the questions you will ask your coordinator. Our separate list of questions to ask an international patient coordinator covers the logistics side, so you can keep the doctor’s time for clinical matters.
Step 7: During the Call
Join five minutes early; coordinators often check sound and confirm identity first. Keep the passport and key reports within reach.
How to make the most of the time
- Open with a one-minute summary. “My mother is 62, diagnosed with breast cancer in July, has completed four cycles of chemotherapy, and her doctor now recommends surgery.” The specialist has read the file, but this confirms you are on the same page.
- Ask your most important question first. If the call is cut short, you will have the answer that matters most.
- Ask the doctor to share their screen when discussing images.
- Repeat back what you heard. “So you are recommending surgery first, then radiation, with about ten days in hospital?” This catches misunderstandings early.
- Be honest about worries and limits. If the budget is tight or the patient is anxious about anaesthesia, say so. Doctors can only address concerns they know about.
If the doctor wants to show a physical sign
For orthopaedic and neurological cases, the doctor may ask the patient to walk, bend or show a swelling on camera. Have someone hold the device steady and wear clothing that lets the area be seen. If you want to record the call for relatives, ask the doctor’s permission first.
Step 8: After the Call — Treatment Plan, Estimate Validity and Visa Letter
The call ends, and suddenly a lot of practical tasks begin. Here is what to ask for, and in what order.
Ask for a written treatment plan
Request a written summary: recommended procedure, treating consultant, tests on arrival, hospital stay and total time in India. Share it with your local doctor, who can flag anything that does not fit.
Confirm how long the estimate is valid
Estimates normally carry a validity date. If travel slips past it, ask for a reissued estimate. Also ask what deposit is expected on admission.
Request the hospital letter for your e-Medical visa
Most international patients now use India’s e-Visa system. The e-Medical visa application asks for a copy of a letter from the Indian hospital where treatment is planned, along with a scan of the passport bio page. Indian missions describe the e-Medical visa as a triple-entry visa allowing a stay of up to 60 days from arrival, with family members applying separately for an e-Medical Attendant visa. Rules and fees change, so always check the current conditions on the official Indian e-Visa portal and apply only there, not through look-alike websites.
When you ask the hospital for the invitation letter, give them exactly what they need to get it right first time:
- Patient’s name, passport number and nationality, spelt exactly as in the passport.
- Names and passport numbers of the attendants travelling with the patient.
- Your expected date of arrival.
Check the letter carefully when it arrives. It should be on hospital letterhead and mention the patient, the planned treatment and the attendants. A single wrong letter in a name can cause delays. Our full walkthrough on how to obtain a medical visa for India covers the rest of the application.
Lock in the arrival plan
Once the visa is moving, confirm your first appointment date with the coordinator, arrange airport pick-up if the hospital offers it, and book accommodation close to the hospital. When you land, our guide to your first hospital appointment in India explains what happens at registration and on day one.
Common Hiccups and Quick Fixes
Even well-organised families run into small problems. Most are easy to solve if you spot them early.
| Hiccup | Quick fix |
|---|---|
| The hospital says it cannot open the scan files | Ask the imaging centre for the full DICOM study (not a viewer-only file or JPEG export), or ask the hospital which upload method it supports. |
| No reply after several working days | Send a polite follow-up quoting any reference number, and ask for the coordinator’s direct WhatsApp or phone line. |
| Different hospitals recommend different treatments | Share both opinions with your local doctor, and ask each Indian team to explain its reasoning on a call. Differences are sometimes about approach rather than disagreement. |
| Video keeps freezing during the call | Switch off your camera to save bandwidth while the doctor talks, or move the call to WhatsApp audio and ask for a written summary afterwards. |
| Name spelling differs between reports and passport | Flag it in your enquiry and ask for registration exactly as in the passport. |
| The visa letter has an error | Request a corrected letter before you submit the e-Visa application, not after. |
| The patient’s condition changes after the call | Send updated reports to the hospital straight away. The plan, estimate and fitness to fly may all need review. |
Teleconsultation Questions Patients Ask Us
Can I get an online consultation with Indian doctors before deciding to travel?
Yes. Most large Indian hospitals with international patient services will review your records and offer a video call with a specialist before you commit to travel. The written opinion and the call together help you decide whether treatment in India is the right choice.
How long does it take to receive a second opinion from India online?
It depends on the hospital, the specialty and how complete your records are. Simple cases can come back within a few working days, while complex cancer or transplant cases may take longer because several specialists review them. Sending complete records with full scan images is the best way to avoid delays.
Can an Indian doctor prescribe medicine for me during a teleconsultation?
Generally, you should not expect one. India’s Telemedicine Practice Guidelines 2020 are written for patients within India, so consultations with patients abroad are usually treated as expert opinion. Your local doctor continues to manage prescriptions until you are seen in person in India.
Is the cost estimate from a teleconsultation final?
No. It is based on your records and the doctor’s best judgment before examining the patient. The final bill can change if tests on arrival show something new, if the hospital stay is longer, or if you choose a different room category. Check the estimate’s validity date and ask for an itemised version.
Do I need a hospital letter for the India e-Medical visa?
Yes. The e-Medical visa application asks for a copy of a letter from the hospital in India where treatment is planned, along with a scan of the passport bio page. Ask the hospital for this letter once you have decided to travel, and check that every name matches the passport exactly.
What if my internet connection is poor?
Test the connection a day before, sit close to the router and arrange a mobile data backup. If video still struggles, an audio call followed by a written summary from the hospital works well. Keep the coordinator’s WhatsApp number to hand so you can reconnect quickly.
Can a family member arrange the teleconsultation for the patient?
Yes, and it is very common. A son, daughter or spouse often handles the records, emails and scheduling. The hospital may ask for the patient’s consent, and the patient should join the call if they are well enough so the doctor can see and speak with them directly.
Ready for Your First Video Call?
Back in Lagos, Chidi’s brown envelope is now a tidy folder of PDFs and a download link for the MRI. The enquiry email is sent. In a week or so, he will be on a video call with a specialist who has already studied his mother’s scans, and he will have a written plan, an estimate and a clear answer on whether the journey makes sense. That is the real value of an online consultation with Indian doctors: you decide with information, not hope.
If you would like help with any step, from sorting records to scheduling the call and getting your visa letter, our team works with patients from Africa, the Middle East and South Asia every day. Contact us with a short summary of the patient’s condition and we will tell you what to send next. There is no pressure to travel; the first goal is a clear, expert opinion.
