Documents to Pack
- Aadhaar card (original) — required at registration at virtually every hospital.
- UHID card — if your parent is already registered at that hospital.
- Current prescription — the referral or last consultation note for this visit.
- Recent reports — lab reports, imaging films/CDs, discharge summaries relevant to the consultation.
- Insurance card — if the visit may involve cashless or TPA billing.
- Medicine list — names and doses of everything the patient currently takes, plus known allergies.
Keep the documents in one labelled folder — the companion carries it between counters and hands it back at the end of the visit.
What to Tell Your Parent
Many elderly parents resist "help" but accept "practical assistance." What works:
- Frame it around the queues — "Someone will stand in the registration line so you don't have to." Not "someone will take care of you."
- Name the verification — the companion is police-verified and Aadhaar-verified; share their name and photo in advance.
- Expect the phone introduction — the companion calls before the first visit so the parent hears a voice, not just sees a stranger at the gate.
- Reassure on control — the parent makes every medical decision; the companion only handles logistics and relays information.
- Set expectations — they will meet at an agreed point (entrance, metro exit, or home pickup) and the companion stays with them the whole visit.
More on this conversation: talking to parents about accepting help.
What to Tell the Companion
- Hospital, department, doctor name, and the appointment or token plan.
- Mobility level — wheelchair needed, walking support, or independent.
- Hearing, vision, and language needs — and whether a female attendant is required (see our female attendant safety guide).
- Current medicines and any allergies the doctor should hear about.
- The specific questions you want asked in the consultation.
- Where to meet the patient — home pickup, hospital entrance, or metro exit.
Money & Payment Logistics
Hospital fees (registration, tests, medicines) are paid at the hospital — send cash or a UPI-enabled phone with your parent, or arrange for the companion to pay and be reimbursed. The companion's service fee itself is paid in cash or UPI directly to the companion after the visit — no advance online payment is required.
After the First Visit
You will get WhatsApp updates at each stage and a written summary within ~2 hours — doctor's name and department, assessment, prescribed medicines with dosage, and next steps. If the first visit goes well, ask for the same companion on the next visit — familiarity compounds, especially for elderly or anxious patients. For what the full visit looks like step by step, see the companion visit timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents should my parent carry on the first companion visit?
Aadhaar (original), UHID card if registered, current prescription, recent reports, insurance card if applicable, and a list of current medicines. For a new hospital, previous discharge summaries and scan CDs help.
How do I explain the companion to a reluctant parent?
Frame it as practical help: "Someone will stand in line for you." Mention police verification, WhatsApp updates to the family, and that the parent stays in charge of all medical decisions.
What should I tell the companion before the visit?
Hospital and department, mobility level, hearing/language needs, current medicines, allergies, and the questions you want asked in the consultation.
How does the first visit actually start?
The companion calls the parent for a phone introduction first, then arrives early on the day, completes registration, and meets the parent at the agreed point.
Neha, Co-Founder
Neha is a Co-Founder of Corelatin. Her background in research and scientific rigor shapes how the team approaches companion verification, hospital navigation protocols, and family reporting standards across Delhi NCR. Corelatin's companions are trained in logistics, communication, and hospital navigation — not medical care, which always remains with qualified hospital staff.