Information last checked: November 2026. Rules, forms and portals change, so please confirm current details with the hospital, your insurer or the relevant authority before acting.
A disclosure before we start
AA Health Central publishes this guide, and AAHC is one of the five options in it. That is a conflict of interest, so here is how we handled it: every option is described from what the organisation says on its own public pages (linked below), nobody is ranked, we say what each type does not do, and we have tried to be as plain about our own limits as about everyone else’s. Some of our provider partnerships are commission-based; we say so on our FAQs and again below.
In short
- Hospital international offices are the most direct route, but they cover their own hospitals only.
- Medical tourism agencies often arrange travel as well as treatment, and are usually paid by the provider.
- Independent advocates and navigators are paid by you, which is why their independence is the thing to check.
- Whatever you choose, get scope, fees and who-pays-whom in writing first.
Search results for this topic are an odd mix of hospital pages, insurance blogs and agencies that all call themselves “the best”. None of that helps if you are a parent in Manila or a business owner in Lagos trying to decide how to get one operation done in a country you have never visited. So here is the map.
How we compared them
Five questions, applied to each type: who pays for the help, how far the help reaches (one hospital, or any provider), what it is strongest at, where it stops, and what you should ask. We have not scored or ranked anything, because the right answer depends on your situation, and because ratings from a party with a stake in the result are not worth much.
1. Hospital international patient offices
What it is. A team inside a hospital or hospital group that looks after patients arriving from abroad. Examples with public pages include M42’s international patient services, Aster DM Healthcare’s international patients page and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s international patient services.
What they say they offer. Pages differ, but typical items include appointment scheduling, cost estimates, treatment planning, interpretation, help with insurance and payment, and aftercare. Aster’s page lists second opinions, video consultations, visa assistance, airport transport, hotel reservations, interpretation and post-discharge follow-up. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi describes a dedicated coordinator as a single point of contact, patient ambassadors on arrival, interpreter services and financial counselling.
Good for: people who have already chosen a hospital and want logistics handled in one place. Where it stops: at the hospital’s own door. They work for the hospital, and they are not a neutral comparison across hospitals.
Ask: Is this service free? What is included in the estimate? Who do I call after I am home?
2. Insurers and assistance companies
If you carry international private medical insurance, your insurer may have case managers who can confirm cover and, sometimes, arrange direct billing with a hospital. They are strong on cover and approvals, and they work inside the insurer’s rules and cost controls. They will not usually compare providers on your behalf. Ask: Is treatment at this hospital covered? Is pre-authorisation needed? Will you guarantee payment, or do I pay and claim?
3. Medical tourism agencies
What it is. A company that packages treatment with travel, accommodation and transfers, often presenting a menu of hospitals. Many are paid a commission by the hospitals they send patients to, which is a business model, not a scandal, but it does mean the advice and the incentive can point in different directions.
Good for: people who want someone to organise the whole trip. Watch for: unlicensed intermediaries, pressure to commit quickly, a lack of written terms, and any promise about results. Ask: Are you paid by the provider? Which providers do you not work with? Who is liable if something goes wrong?
Our separate guide to medical tourism in Dubai goes deeper on costs and safety.
4. Independent patient advocates
What it is. A person or practice paid by the patient or family, with no link to a provider. In the UAE, an example is MYNA Patient & Family Support Services in Dubai, which a Greater National Advocates profile describes as an independent advocacy practice led by a board-certified patient advocate. Advocates tend to be strongest on representing your interests: billing questions, admissions and discharge, preparing for appointments.
Where it stops: advocates generally do not give medical advice, and many are small practices, so ask about availability. Ask: What certification do you hold, and from whom? What is your fee, and what does it cover?
5. Independent navigation and coordination (AAHC)
What it is. AA Health Central is an independent, non-clinical service in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, founded by Alison Aranha, who has 15 years of healthcare operations and administration experience across the UAE, the USA and Europe. For international patients we help you explore provider options, organise records, consultations and appointments, handle insurance-related administration, coordinate agreed support during your stay (including attending appointments where agreed), and organise discharge information and follow-up when you return home. See our international patient support and healthcare navigation pages.
What we do not do. We do not diagnose or advise on treatment, we do not arrange visas, flights or accommodation, we do not provide emergency or 24/7 support, and we cannot guarantee that an insurer will approve anything. We are not an agency that sells treatment.
How we are paid. By you, on an agreed written scope: a free 15–30 minute first conversation; where an assessment is needed, a fee of AED 1,500 that is credited to a package if you proceed within 30 days; and packages on a fixed-fee or monthly/quarterly basis (see packages). Some of our provider partnerships are commission-based, and we also help clients explore providers outside those partnerships. The choice stays yours.
Good for: people who want an independent person to compare options and hold the whole journey together. Where it stops: we are a small service, not a hospital, and we do not run your trip. Ask us: the same questions as everyone else, in the list at the end.
Want to talk it through with us?
Tell us what you’re planning. We’ll say plainly whether AAHC is the right fit, and if it isn’t, which type of help probably is.
Side by side
| Hospital office | Insurer / assistance | Medical tourism agency | Independent advocate | Independent navigator (AAHC) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usually paid by | The hospital | The insurer | Often the provider | You or your family | You (agreed in writing) |
| Reach | Its own hospitals | Your policy and network | Providers it partners with | Any provider | Any provider |
| Strongest at | Logistics inside one hospital | Cover and approvals | Whole-trip packaging | Representing your interests | Comparing options and joining up the journey |
| Travel and visas | Often assists | Rarely | Often arranges | No | No |
| Watch for | Steering to its own services | Cost-driven decisions | Commission-led advice | Small capacity | Commission-based partnerships (disclosed) |
Treat the table as a starting point. Individual organisations vary, and the facts on their own pages change.
How to choose
- You have already picked a hospital. Start with that hospital’s international office. It is usually free and it is the fastest route.
- You are comparing hospitals or specialists and want neutral help. An independent navigator or advocate, whichever feels like the better fit.
- You want the whole trip arranged. A licensed medical tourism agency or the hospital’s own team, after you have asked about commissions and written terms.
- Your insurer is paying. Speak to the insurer first, then decide whether you need anyone else.
- The family is spread across countries. Look for someone who will keep one person informed and one folder up to date. Our family and caregiver support is built around that.
Red flags
Pause if you see
- Guaranteed outcomes, or “the best doctor” promised before anyone has seen your records
- Pressure to pay a large sum or book travel before you have a written plan
- No written scope or fee, or fees that change when you ask questions
- Reluctance to say who pays them, or whether they receive commissions
- An agency that cannot name the licensed facility and doctors involved
- Requests to send payment to a personal account
Questions to ask anyone, including us
- Who pays you, and do you receive any fee or commission from the hospitals or doctors you recommend?
- Exactly what is included and what is not? Can I have that, and the total cost, in writing?
- Which licensed facility and doctors would be involved, and can I check their licences?
- What do you do if the plan changes after I am examined?
- Who do I contact after I am back home, and how fast do you reply?
- How is my information protected, and who sees it?
- What happens if I want to stop?
If you only remember one thing from this guide, make it the first question. The rest follows from it. For the wider picture of who does what in UAE healthcare, see navigators, advocates and concierge services and the UAE healthcare system explained.
Sources and further reading
- M42: International Patient Services
- Aster DM Healthcare: International Patients
- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi: international patient services
- Greater National Advocates: MYNA, Dubai (profile)
- AA Health Central: packages and fees
This article offers general, non-clinical information only. It is not medical, legal or insurance advice. Always speak to your doctor or healthcare provider about clinical questions. In a medical emergency, call 998.
