Karnataka government will be shortly making a representation to the Centre for the simplification of the entry and exit norms for patients who come to the state for treatment from abroad.

Now, with the Centre's plan to introduce 'visa on arrival' at Mumbai and New Delhi airports in an effort to encourage medical tourism and ease the entry and exit of patients, the rule could help scores of travellers coming to India for treatment, stated state government sources.

The model, which is expected to be introduced in Mumbai and New Delhi airports, would ease travellers heading to Bangalore. But there are instances where several international tourists taking direct flights to Bangalore and the process of visa on arrival could have included the city too, officials from Karnataka tourism department said.

Under the 'visa on arrival' model, 20 countries are under consideration. The government will also provide the lists of institutions, which are providing quality healthcare in Karnataka. These include Narayana Hrudayalaya, Manipal Hospital, Apollo Hospital, Sri Satya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, International Holistic Health Centre (Soukya) to name a few.

The institutes would be provided links on the government of India tourism web site. The Centre has also instituted a Task Force on medical tourism to oversee the progress and allow more number of medical institutions to enter the fray. In this connection, the ministry of health and family welfare is now insisting on accreditation of hospitals to ensure standard global quality service and compliance, stated the official.

"We are witnessing an increasing trend of international tourists enquiring about the healthcare services available in the country," said Karnataka secretary for tourism IM Vittal Murthy.

According to state department of tourism, around 8,000 patients annually come to Bangalore to access treatment. It could be for Ayurveda or allopathic consultancy or surgeries (cardiac to cosmetology). The department also in the process of working out a database on travellers who are visiting the state specifically for health reasons.

In order to increase it's medical tourism ambit from the corporate hospitals located in Bangalore, the government gone ahead to upgrade and modernize many of its district hospitals to cater to the tourists who could fall ill on a visit. There are also facilities with the corporate hospital to airlift patients from these sites after the initial medical attention is provided.