Documents for home: discharge summary, copies of records, translation, apostille and invoices for your insurer
Your treatment in Georgia comes to an end, but your doctor at home, your insurance company and sometimes a state authority need documents that describe exactly what was done. These documents are usually issued in Georgian. We request copies from the clinic in writing, check that nothing is missing, translate them into your language, arrange an apostille if needed and, if a document is ready only after you have left, send it to you by DHL.
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Requested in good timeWe ask in writing while you are still being treated, so that everything is ready at discharge
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In your languageNames as in your passport, medicines by their international names
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All the way homeApostille and DHL delivery, if you have already left Georgia
In short: the documents you will need at home
- You receive copies of your medical records from the clinic on written request; the law allows 10 working days for this, so we send the request well before discharge.
- At home, your doctor will mainly need the discharge summary, the operation report, test and imaging results and prescriptions, while your insurance company will need a detailed invoice and proof of payment.
- The form of translation (plain, certified or notarised) is set by whoever will receive the document, so we find out their requirements in advance.
- An apostille on a document from a medical facility is affixed by the Public Service Development Agency, without a prior visit to a notary.
- If a document is ready only after you have left, we collect it with your written authorisation and send it to you by DHL.
Which documents should you take home?
Not every patient needs every document. We draw up the list according to your treatment and the requirements of your doctor and your insurance company.
| Document | What it contains | Who needs it at home |
|---|---|---|
| Discharge summary (epicrisis) | Diagnosis, treatment given, key results, prescriptions and follow-up dates | Family doctor, specialist, insurance company |
| Operation report | What was done, by which method and which implant or material was used | Any surgeon who treats you in future |
| Test and imaging reports and images | Laboratory tests, the radiologist's report, CT or MRI images in digital format | The doctor who carries out follow-up and compares the old images with new ones |
| Histology report | The result of laboratory examination of the tissue taken; sometimes ready only after discharge | Oncologist or treating doctor |
| Prescriptions | Medicines by their international names, doses and duration of treatment | Your doctor and pharmacy at home |
| Invoice and proof of payment | A detailed, itemised bill, receipts or bank confirmation | Insurance company, employer or tax authority, if such reimbursement or relief exists in your country |
| Doctor's statement on fitness to fly | The treating doctor's opinion on whether you can fly and on what conditions | The airline, if it asks for such a document |
If you are taking medicines bought in Georgia home with you: up to 10 standard packs of an ordinary medicine for personal use are allowed without documents, while narcotic and psychotropic medicines are allowed only with medical documents and in limited quantities. We explain the details on the medicines page.
How do we request copies, and how soon will you receive them?
Under Article 17 of the Law on Patient Rights, the patient, a relative or a legal representative may request in writing a copy of any part of the medical records. Article 14 of the Law on Personal Data Protection sets the time limit.
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On admission day: a request in Georgian
We draft the written request in Georgian and you sign it. It lists every document needed, including digital copies, and states who may collect them if you have already left.
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The legal time limit: 10 working days
The clinic must issue the copy within 10 working days; with reasons, this period may be extended once by no more than another 10 working days. The copy is free of charge unless a fee is set by law or a reasonable, cost-based charge applies. With a short hospital stay this period may run past your departure date, so requesting early is the key rule.
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Before discharge: checking completeness
We check that your name and date of birth are the same everywhere, that the documents bear the doctor's signature and the clinic's stamp, and that the discharge summary includes every prescription and follow-up date. A clinic corrects a mistake faster while you are here than by letter.
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After you leave: we collect
If something is ready later, we collect it from the clinic with your written authorisation, in the form the clinic accepts. We then translate it, have an apostille affixed if needed and send it to you.
Translation into your language
Your doctor will not have to read Georgian: the discharge summary, the operation report and the medical reports are translated in writing by our medical translation service. We write your name as it appears in Latin script in your passport, medicines by their international non-proprietary names and units as in the original, so that your doctor does not have to recalculate a dose. The details of translating a discharge summary are on a separate page.
The form of translation you need is set by whoever will receive the document. For a family doctor, an accurate translation with the translator's details is often enough, while an insurance company, a court or a state authority may require a notarised translation. So before we start translating, we find out the recipient's requirements in writing, so that you do not pay for the same work twice.
Apostille: when is it needed, and who affixes it?
An apostille is a special certificate confirming that the signature and seal on a document are genuine. Your doctor rarely needs one, but an insurance company, a court or a state body may. Under Government Resolution No. 405 of 2016, a document issued by a medical facility within its powers can be certified with an apostille, and the apostille is affixed by the Public Service Development Agency (an agency of the Ministry of Justice). We can submit the application at a Public Service Hall, a building where many state services are gathered under one roof. A clinic document does not need to go to a notary first.
The Agency compares the signature and seal on the document with the specimens held in its database, so the document must be issued with the signature of an authorised person at the clinic and the clinic's official seal. An apostille can be affixed either to the original or to a duly certified copy. There are standard and expedited timescales, with different state fees, as well as an electronic apostille. The details of the procedure are on the apostille page, and the complete package for medical documents is here.
An apostille is recognised only by states that have joined the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Other countries require legalisation (Government Resolution No. 404 of 2016): the document is first certified by the same Agency and then confirmed by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The receiving country may also have additional requirements of its own. Check which route you need with our Apostille or legalisation? tool or ask us; both procedures are arranged by our apostille and legalisation service.
Invoices and a medical report for your insurance claim
If your health insurance or your employer covers the cost of treatment abroad, ask for their list of requirements before treatment, preferably in writing. Many insurance companies require prior approval and may refuse reimbursement without it. The mandatory travel policy you entered Georgia with generally does not cover planned treatment, so it will not help you in this case.
- A detailed invoice listing every service and medicine on a separate line, not just the total amount.
- Proof of payment: a receipt, a card statement or confirmation of a bank transfer.
- A medical report with the diagnosis, the procedures performed and the dates; if the insurance company requires diagnosis and procedure codes, we ask the clinic to include them.
- The clinic's details: full name, address, identification code and the name of the treating doctor.
- A translation into a language the insurance company accepts and, if it asks, certified or with an apostille.
The decision on reimbursement is made by the insurance company and we cannot promise it; our job is to make sure the documents are complete and clear. We cover insurance in more detail in the insurance guide.
Delivery by DHL and digital copies
A histology result, an original with an apostille or a delayed report is often ready only once you are already home. We collect such a document, check it and send it by DHL, with tracking and delivery against signature. Until the original arrives, you receive a scanned copy via a secure link; we explain how documents are stored safely on the digital archive page.
If you would like the clinic to send your records directly to your doctor abroad, this is a transfer of health data out of the country. Under Article 37 of the Law on Personal Data Protection, it is permitted to a country with adequate data protection safeguards (the list of such countries is set by the State Audit Office) or on another legal basis, including your written consent after you have been informed of the risks. The simplest route is often for you to obtain the copies yourself and send them to your doctor. All our services for patients coming to Georgia are on the international patients page.
Frequently asked questions about documents for home
Can the clinic give me the discharge summary directly in English?
Some clinics prepare a summary in English or Russian on request, but do not take this for granted: official medical records in Georgia are kept in Georgian. For your doctor, such a summary is often enough, provided it is complete and signed. An insurance company or a state authority, however, may require the Georgian original and an official translation of it. So we ask for both, if the clinic can provide them: the Georgian document and, where possible, an English version written by the doctor, and we prepare the final translation according to what the recipient requires.
Does my doctor need an apostille?
Usually not. Your treating doctor needs the medical information, and an accurate translation is generally enough for that. An apostille is normally needed when you require the document for an official procedure: an insurance dispute, a court, or a claim for incapacity or social benefits. An apostille takes time and involves a state fee, so we arrange one only once the recipient has confirmed that it is needed. If you are not sure, we ask and send you the answer in writing.
What happens if the histology result is ready only after I have left?
This is a common situation, because laboratory examination of tissue takes time. Before you leave, we put your written authorisation in place at the clinic so that we can collect the result, and we confirm the expected date. As soon as the result is issued, we send you a scanned copy through a secure channel so that your doctor sees it in time, prepare a translation if needed and send the original by DHL. You can ask your treating doctor in Georgia to explain the result to you by video call, with the help of an interpreter.
Can you collect documents from the clinic on my behalf?
Yes, but only with your written authorisation. The law gives the right to request copies of records to the patient, a relative and a legal representative, so the clinic will release them to a third party, including us, only on documented authority. Some clinics accept a simple signed statement, others require a notarised power of attorney. So we check the required form with the clinic in advance and have you sign it while you are still in Georgia, so that you do not have to look for a notary from your home country later.
How do I take my CT or MRI images home?
The images are not printed on paper: we ask the clinic for a digital copy on a disc, a USB stick or as a download link, in the standard format your doctor's computer can open. Be sure to take the radiologist's written report together with the images: the report is translated, the images themselves are not. Before you leave the clinic, check that the disc or file opens and that it shows your name and the date of the scan. If the file is large, we keep the download link and send it straight to your doctor, with your consent.
Related to documents for home
- Return home Planning your flight after discharge, an escort to the airport and contact with your doctor at home.
- Support in hospital Daily contact, updates for your family and a coordinator from admission to discharge.
- Medical interpreter Prescriptions, doses and restrictions explained orally in your language on the day of discharge.
Go home with a complete set of documents
Tell us whom you need the documents for and in which country. We draw up the list, request the copies, translate them and send them. WhatsApp: +995 501 113 200.