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Going direct vs using a coordinator for treatment abroad

July 1, 2026 · 4 min read

Should you contact a hospital abroad yourself or use a coordinator? An honest comparison of effort, communication, and cost — the treatment price is the same either way.

You can arrange treatment abroad in two ways: contact a hospital directly yourself, or work through a coordinator like Saluvia. Both are valid. The difference is not the price of your treatment — it is how much of the legwork you do. Here is an honest comparison.

Facing a long wait?

Request a free assessment and the hospital's doctors take it from there.

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Going direct vs using a coordinator

 Going directUsing a coordinator (Saluvia)
Finding & vetting the hospitalYou research and compare on your ownMatched to accredited partner hospitals
Language & communicationDepends on the hospital's international deskCoordinated in English throughout
Organising your recordsYou prepare and send everythingWe help you organise and route them
Who makes medical decisionsThe hospital's doctorsThe hospital's doctors (unchanged)
Price of treatmentSet by the hospitalThe same — set by the hospital
Cost of the coordinationNot applicableFree to you (paid by the hospital)
Effort and timeHigher — you manage each stepLower — we manage the process with you

The key point about cost

Using a coordinator does not make your treatment more expensive. You pay the hospital the same price either way, and Saluvia is paid by the hospital, not by you. So the choice is really about how much support and coordination you want — not about money.

When going direct makes sense

If you already know a specific hospital, speak the language, and are comfortable managing records, travel, and scheduling yourself, going direct is entirely reasonable.

When a coordinator helps

If you would rather not vet hospitals from scratch, want everything handled in English, and prefer a single point of contact through the process, a coordinator removes the friction at no extra cost. In every case, the hospital's own doctors carry out the medical assessment and treatment — Saluvia does not give medical advice.

Curious how the coordinated route works? Read the step-by-step guide or request a free assessment.

Frequently asked questions

Is treatment cheaper if I skip the coordinator?
No. You pay the hospital the same price either way. Saluvia is paid by the hospital, not by you, so using a coordinator does not add to your bill.
What does a coordinator actually do?
We handle the back-and-forth with the hospital's international team by email, keep everything in one place, and guide you through each step. The medical assessment always stays with the hospital's doctors.

Facing a long wait?

Request a free assessment and the hospital's doctors take it from there.

Request a free assessment

Saluvia provides coordination, guidance, and information only — not medical advice. All medical assessment is carried out by the doctors at our partner hospitals.