Not all medical-tourism providers are equal, and the wrong choice is costly — financially and medically. Use this checklist to vet any provider, including CURE PASS, before you pay a deposit or book a flight.
The six things a genuine provider puts in writing
- A named, credentialed surgeon — not "our expert team" or "a partner network."
- Accredited, licensed facilities — check the hospital or clinic's accreditation, not just the provider's marketing.
- One transparent, all-in price — surgery, hospital fees, hotel, transfers and translator, itemised.
- A clinical review before any payment — your case is assessed before you are asked for money.
- Documented consent in your language — every risk explained clearly before you sign.
- A real aftercare plan — with remote follow-up after you fly home, not a goodbye at the airport.
Green flags vs red flags
| Green flag | Red flag |
|---|---|
| Surgeon named before you book | "Our team" language, no individual named |
| Written, itemised all-in quote | Vague pricing or verbal estimates only |
| Deposit requested after clinical review | Pressure to pay before any medical assessment |
| Willing to say you're not a candidate | Says yes to every enquiry |
| Verifiable reviews and case examples | Reviews you cannot trace or verify |
| Written aftercare and follow-up plan | No plan for after you fly home |
Questions worth asking any provider directly
- Who exactly performs my procedure, and what are their credentials?
- Is the facility accredited, and by whom?
- What exactly is included in the price, and what could add to it?
- What happens if I have a complication after I fly home?
- Can I speak to the treating specialist before I commit?
Why a trustworthy provider slows down, not speeds up
A provider confident in its quality will happily answer every question, share surgeon credentials, and tell you honestly if you are not a good candidate rather than book you anyway. Pressure to decide fast, undercut pricing with no explanation, and vague answers to direct questions are the clearest signals to walk away.
A short script for your first call with any provider
If you only ask five things before committing to any medical-tourism provider, make them these: "What is the surgeon's full name and where can I verify their credentials?" "What exactly is included in this price, in writing?" "What happens if I need a follow-up appointment after I fly home?" "Can you show me the facility's accreditation?" and "What happens if, after reviewing my case, I'm not a good candidate?" A provider confident in its process answers all five without hesitation or vague deflection — and a provider that changes the subject on any of them has told you something important.
Write the answers down. If you speak to more than one provider, compare the written answers side by side rather than relying on memory of two different sales conversations.
Why we publish this checklist even though it invites comparison
It might seem counterintuitive for a provider to publish a checklist patients can use to scrutinise it directly, but that's the point. A provider unwilling to be measured against clear, fair criteria is telling you something about how it operates. We would rather a patient compare us against this exact list and choose someone else after doing so honestly, than have them book without ever asking these questions and discover a gap after they've already committed.
What a written aftercare plan should actually contain
"Aftercare included" is a claim every provider makes; a genuine one is specific. Before booking, ask to see what your aftercare plan will document once you're home: who you contact if you have a question, what the expected healing timeline looks like so you know what's normal, and whether remote follow-up is included at no extra cost or billed separately after the fact. A provider that can't describe this in concrete terms before you travel is unlikely to deliver it well after you've flown home.
How to spot a provider that's honest about limits, not just strengths
Marketing material naturally emphasises what a provider does well; it's worth specifically asking what they don't do, or which cases they turn away. A provider willing to say "we don't handle that specific complexity, and here's who might" is demonstrating exactly the judgment you want applied to your own case. If every question you ask gets an enthusiastic yes with no caveats at all, that's worth treating with more scrutiny, not less.
A simple way to score any provider's answers
After asking the five questions above, give each answer a simple pass or fail: did they name a specific surgeon, not a team? Did the price arrive in writing, itemised? Was any deposit requested only after clinical review? Could they show accreditation, not just describe it? Did they mention what happens if you're not a candidate, unprompted? A provider passing all five deserves serious consideration; one failing two or more is worth walking away from, regardless of how appealing the headline price looks. Comparing at least two providers on the same five questions usually surfaces any inconsistency quickly, and if one refuses to answer a question outright, treat that as its own answer. Where a provider passes most but not all five, ask directly about the gap — a reasonable explanation is fine; vagueness or defensiveness on a specific point is not.
Why price alone should never be the deciding factor
It's tempting to sort providers by price and stop there, but the checklist above exists precisely because the cheapest quote and the best-value quote are frequently different offers. A genuinely all-inclusive package at a fair mid-range price, backed by a named surgeon and documented aftercare, is very often the smarter choice over the lowest number on the page — particularly once you account for what an unclear or incomplete package can end up costing once you're already committed to travel.
Frequently asked questions
Should I trust a provider with the lowest price?
Not automatically — ask what is included. A genuinely all-inclusive package at a mid-range price is usually a better deal than a low headline number with hidden extras.
How do I verify a surgeon's credentials?
Ask for their full name, registration details and the facility they operate from, then look for independent confirmation rather than relying on the provider's own page alone.
Is it normal to pay a deposit before travelling?
Yes, but only after a clinical review of your case — never before any medical assessment has happened.
What if the provider can't answer my questions clearly?
Treat that as a red flag. A trustworthy provider answers directly, in writing, without pressure.
Does CURE PASS meet this checklist?
Yes — named surgeons, accredited centers, one written all-in price, a pre-payment clinical review, documented consent, and remote follow-up are how every CURE PASS journey is built.
Should the price include my flights?
Not usually — flights are typically booked separately by the patient, while everything in-country (treatment, hotel, transfers, translator) should be in one written price.
Read our honest answer on whether Egypt is safe for treatment, or the complete 2026 guide to medical tourism in Egypt. See our named surgeons and specialists or request a clinically reviewed quote.
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Karim Hassan
Vascular Surgery · Lead