Methodology

How Tonicvia Structures a Hospital Comparison

Tonicvia does not use a simplistic “best hospital” score, and hospitals cannot pay for a better position. Every comparison is organized into six categories, and every field carries an evidence label.

Source:
Tonicvia comparison methodology, version 1.0
Published:
July 2026
Last reviewed:
July 2026
Content owner:
Tonicvia editorial team (non-clinical)

Hospitals cannot pay for a higher position in a Tonicvia comparison. Patients pay hospitals directly, and any commercial relationship relevant to a comparison will be disclosed.

1

Clinical-response information

What each hospital actually proposed for this specific case — recorded, not interpreted.

  • Proposed specialty
  • Proposed doctor
  • Procedure or evaluation proposed by the hospital
  • Questions the hospital has not answered
  • Conflicting proposals that require clinician discussion
2

Estimate clarity

How complete and how firm each estimate is — the largest source of surprise costs.

  • Estimate source and date
  • Inclusions
  • Exclusions
  • Implant assumptions
  • ICU assumptions
  • Tests and medicines
  • Expected stay
  • Situations that may increase cost
3

Communication and process

How workable the hospital is for an international patient before any commitment.

  • Response time
  • Completeness of response
  • Availability of consultation
  • International-patient contact
  • Record-sharing process
4

Travel feasibility

Whether the journey is practical for this patient's mobility and companion situation.

  • Destination city
  • Airport transfer
  • Mobility support
  • Accessible accommodation
  • Companion needs
  • Expected stay
5

Continuity planning

What happens after discharge and after the patient returns home.

  • Discharge-document process
  • Follow-up consultation
  • Rehabilitation plan
  • Escalation contact
  • Home-country handover information
6

Evidence status

Every field is labelled with how the information was obtained.

  • Publicly sourced
  • Hospital-confirmed
  • Case-verified
  • Patient-reported
  • Not confirmed

A note on accreditation

Accreditation may be a useful quality signal, but it does not guarantee a successful outcome. The CDC similarly advises travellers to verify clinician and facility credentials while recognising that accreditation does not guarantee a positive result.

The comparison presents information for the patient's own decision. Tonicvia does not recommend a hospital, select treatment, or provide medical advice. Medical decisions remain between the patient and licensed clinicians.

See the methodology applied

The sample report shows every category and evidence label in a complete fictional example.

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