Patient Journey

Your journey begins with a single message. Contact HMT via (A) our website registration form, (B) by WhatsApp, (C) through your local HMT agent, or (4) via referral from your doctor. Tell us your name, your country, and a brief description of your medical situation. There is no cost and no obligation. A member of our team will respond within 24 hours.

We invite you to create a secure profile on the HMT Patient Portal, your personal, encrypted space where all your medical documents, quotes, payment records, and journey updates will live. You upload your diagnosis reports, imaging, laboratory results, doctor's referral letter, and passport. You can grant read access to a trusted family member. Your documents are protected by hospital-grade data encryption, compliant with international privacy standards including HIPAA and South Africa's POPIA.

Your HMT medical coordinator anonymises your documents by removing your name and personal details, then shares your case with three of our Chennai partner hospitals whose specialties match your needs. This protects your privacy while ensuring each hospital's specialists review your case with full clinical detail. This process typically takes 2–4 business days.

Within 5–7 business days of registration, you receive three hospital quotes directly in your HMT Portal. Each quote includes the procedure cost, the treating surgeon's profile and experience, the hospital's accreditation details, the expected duration of inpatient stay, and an estimated recovery timeline. You will never receive a vague estimate, it will be itemised, with comparable figures that allow you to make an informed decision.

Your HMT coordinator schedules a video or WhatsApp call to walk you through the three quotes together, answer your questions, and help you weigh the options based on your medical priorities, budget, and personal preferences. There is no pressure. The decision is entirely yours. Once you decide, you pay your 50% HMT consulting fee deposit and your India journey is officially set in motion.

HMT confirms your appointment directly with your chosen hospital's International Patient Coordinator. HMT will obtain from the hospital the “formal Invitation Letter” within 48 hours of your confirmation. This document is required to apply for the visa from the Indian Government's online e-Medical system. This letter states your treatment purpose, the hospital's name and accreditation, and your anticipated stay duration.

HMT prepares your complete e-Medical Visa application package along with all your supporting documents, your photographs, and the online submission. We track your application and notify you the moment your visa is approved, typically within 48–72 hours. If you are travelling with a companion, we manage their e-Medical Attendant Visa simultaneously. Your Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is included in our pre-departure checklist.

HMT recommends the best flight routes from your city to Chennai. Emirates via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha, or Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa are the primary options from SADC hubs. You book your own airline ticket (we recommend change-friendly economy fares). HMT books your accommodation near the hospital at a comfortable serviced apartment or hotel at pre-negotiated patient rates. We send you a detailed travel pack covering everything from what to pack to how to manage your medications on the flight.

One week before your departure, HMT arranges a video call between you, your local HMT agent, and your India concierge. You get to know and see the face of the person who will meet you at the airport. You confirm your arrival details, ask your final questions, and receive your personalised India itinerary. A welcome kit is prepared for your arrival.

You land at Chennai International Airport. Your HMT concierge is waiting in the arrivals hall with a placard bearing your name. They transfer you to your accommodation, walk you through the area, and hand over your welcome kit, which includes a local SIM card, a Chennai city guide, your hospital appointment schedule, emergency contact cards, and a small welcome gift. From this moment, your concierge is your single point of contact for everything. They will be available in person at scheduled times, and by phone and WhatsApp, 24 hours a day.

Your concierge accompanies you to every consultation, every pre-operative assessment, every test, and your surgery day. They file a daily report in your HMT Portal, which your family can access in real time. They manage your medication procurement (India's pharmacies carry the same international drug brands at 60–80% lower cost), coordinate your meals, and handle any logistical challenges that arise. If your case requires a translator, your French or Portuguese-speaking HMT language specialist is available daily or by session. Nothing falls through the cracks.

Post-surgery, your concierge manages the rhythm of your recovery. They will coordinate your physiotherapy sessions, hospital follow-up appointments, nutrition, gentle outings when your medical team approves. For families travelling with a patient, Chennai offers wonderful opportunities to experience India's culture, cuisine, and warmth during the recovery period. HMT's concierge arranges whatever is needed — from a quiet dinner near your apartment to a visit to a shopping center, which is always calibrated to the patient's condition and energy levels.

On departure day, your concierge presents your HMT exit kit that contains a thank-you letter, a post-care instruction booklet, a medication list, a referral card for family and friends, and a small Indian gift to carry home. They conduct a handover video call with your local HMT agent so that your post-return care is immediately active. Your concierge sees you into your airport transfer, and the HMT care continues.

Your local HMT agent calls at two weeks and six weeks post-return to check on your recovery, answer any questions, and connect you with the hospital's telehealth team if any follow-up consultation is needed. Your surgical reports, discharge summary, and medication instructions are all stored in your HMT Portal and can be made available to any local doctor you see at home.

If your treatment requires a return trip to India (common for cancer patients completing subsequent chemotherapy cycles), your HMT coordinator begins planning the next visit immediately.