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1 – 10 of over 29000Brian Kee Mun Wong and Sarah Alia Sa’aid Hazley
The technological advances in the Industrial Revolution (IR) 4.0 era escalate the advancement of the healthcare industry, including the health tourism phenomenon. Based on the…
Abstract
Purpose
The technological advances in the Industrial Revolution (IR) 4.0 era escalate the advancement of the healthcare industry, including the health tourism phenomenon. Based on the current trend in connected health care (e.g. mobile healthcare technology; digital health, etc.), this paper aims to propose that the distance between healthcare providers around the globe and its potential patients can be vastly reduced to almost on a real time basis.
Design/methodology/approach
A secondary literature review is conducted to identify the key development of IR 4.0 technologies in the healthcare industry and its possible trend leading the health tourism sector.
Findings
The adoption of IR 4.0 technologies is expected to make seeking treatments overseas more affordable, accessible and health records readily available on a real-time and secured basis. However, it is worth to note that the growth of health tourism raises the eyebrows of society from the security, social and economic perspectives.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to our understanding that the emergence of IR 4.0 technologies changes the landscape of the health care and health tourism industry. Continuous technology advancement is expected to further shape the future trend and escalate the commercialization aspect of the health tourism industry.
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Darshana Girish Kulkarni, Girish Ramesh Kulkarni, Punit Saurabh and Samik Shome
The COVID-19 outbreak has severely impacted the health tourism industry. This study aims to examine the research undertaken on health tourism during COVID-19.
Abstract
Purpose
The COVID-19 outbreak has severely impacted the health tourism industry. This study aims to examine the research undertaken on health tourism during COVID-19.
Design/methodology/approach
A bibliometric analysis was performed using 211 documents written by 645 authors between 2020 and 2024. The databases used for this analysis are SCOPUS, Web of Science and PubMed. The study was conducted using the Biblioshiny application for R software. Various analyses, including citation analysis, keyword analysis, thematic mapping and evolution and collaboration analysis, were conducted to get a comprehensive picture of the impact of COVID-19 on health tourism.
Findings
The findings suggest that medical tourism was the major area of focus for researchers during COVID-19, whereas wellness tourism was studied in the later stages of the pandemic and is considered important for coping with the negative effects of COVID-19. The thematic review indicates that pre-pandemic research focused on strategies that accelerate the growth of the health tourism sector, whereas during and post-pandemic, the focus was on studying the impact of COVID-19 on the survival and recovery of the sector. Overall, health tourism was considered instrumental in the post-pandemic revival of the tourism industry.
Research limitations/implications
The bibliometric analysis is limited to only four years, as the focus was on studying health tourism during COVID-19. Hence, the study offers more precise insights into the research focus on health tourism during a pandemic. The current study offers limited insights into the post-pandemic scenario as the research is still emerging.
Practical implications
There is a significant opportunity for future research on post-COVID-19 recovery strategies, wherein this research will be helpful for researchers, particularly from emerging countries and countries with high dependence on health, medical and wellness tourism. The thematic analysis provides a valuable comparison of pre-, during and post-pandemic research.
Social implications
The research indicates an opportunity to study the policies and strategies adopted by various countries regarding the health tourism sector in the post-COVID-19 era. The research also highlights the interwoven, intricate, interdisciplinary nature of health tourism in relation to public and mental health and the need for collaborative efforts.
Originality/value
The study provides critical insights and new directions for future research by highlighting the crucial role of health tourism in mitigating the impact of COVID-19.
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Lorena Androutsou and Theodore Metaxas
Under the Directive 2011/24/EU, medical tourism and cross-border health are interrelated terms regarding the freedom to move to get the most accessible medical treatment into EU…
Abstract
Purpose
Under the Directive 2011/24/EU, medical tourism and cross-border health are interrelated terms regarding the freedom to move to get the most accessible medical treatment into EU Member State within the defined procedures for reimbursement. Little known empirically regarding the efficiency of the cross-border health/medical tourism industry. This study aims to measure its efficiency in Europe for the years 2010-2014, by using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA).
Design/methodology/approach
Data obtained from OECD and the European Core Health Indicators (ECHI), which is collecting the data through Eurostat. Eurostat collects data on health-care activities and provides data on hospital discharges, including the hospital discharges of non-residents and these include hospital discharges of in-patients and day care patients. The analysis uses “DEA.P, 2.1 for windows” by Coelli (1996).
Findings
The results show that the Members States health systems were very efficient in handling non-residents in-patients; however, when managing day cases/outpatients, the efficiency scores dropped.
Practical implications
The findings would have significant associations affecting intentions to revisit clinics and the destination country. In addition, will be useful to those seeking a better understanding of the cross-border health and medical tourism industry efficiency.
Originality/value
Extending the findings of the European Commission report (2015c) by examining how well medical tourists are informed about the decision they are making, would be of perceived value. These are important indicators at European level by helping each Member State to measure its medical tourism services.
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Susanne Hofer, Franziska Honegger and Jonas Hubeli
This paper's purpose is to give an overview of current research regarding the concept of “health tourism” with a focus on Switzerland, and to determine whether a consensus on this…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper's purpose is to give an overview of current research regarding the concept of “health tourism” with a focus on Switzerland, and to determine whether a consensus on this concept and its embedding in existing/future markets can be found.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is an explorative study combining literature review, questionnaires and qualitative interviews. Grounded theory was employed.
Findings
A service from the field of health care must have been provided prior to health tourism, allowing it to be classified under the health care system. Thus, health tourism is classified under the market for the sick and not under tourism which targets the healthy. Furthermore a new market for the healthy is emerging, which needs to be defined. As an example health(i)ness could help to clarify the terminology, to be seen as a gatekeeper of health and as a cultural paradigm change from cure to prevention.
Research limitations/implications
Further research is needed, regarding the positioning and development of health tourism and its synergies, as the cost pressures in health care increase and will continue to have a sustainable impact on health tourism.
Practical implications
The paper provides better knowledge of the term health tourism, its general classification, and particular reference to Switzerland, and information about upcoming changes in health care.
Originality/value
The findings add to the knowledge of how health tourism is embedded into health care and tourism, and show potential within the market for the healthy. It provides information to members of the tourism and health care market.
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Gökhan Aydin and Bilge Karamehmet
Health-care tourism has become a major industry in the past decade. Following the increasing activity in health-care tourism, the decision-making process of consumers in choosing…
Abstract
Purpose
Health-care tourism has become a major industry in the past decade. Following the increasing activity in health-care tourism, the decision-making process of consumers in choosing an international health-care facility has become increasingly important to the related parties. The present study aims to offer a holistic model of international health-care facility choice that incorporates the important dimensions by assessing the growth drivers and the alternative factors proposed in the literature and by validating them via a survey study.
Design/methodology/approach
The factors deemed important in the existing literature were used as the basis of a study in Turkey. In total, 65 structured interviews were conducted with health-care professionals and international health tourists to understand the perspective of the two important parties that affect policymaking.
Findings
The findings of the study support the significance of the majority of the variables proposed as important factors affecting international health-care facility choice.
Research limitations/implications
The study was carried out in four large hospital chains in Turkey; however, this creates a limitation in scope and may have limited representativeness of the overall market. The model has yet to be tested on a larger scale.
Practical implications
There are significant differences in the opinions of professionals and international health-care tourists in terms of choice criteria. This indicates problems with health professionals’ understanding of the consumer decision process.
Originality/value
The study provides a model that can be used to gain insights on the consumer decision process and also provides the policymakers and stakeholders of the international health-care industry with a sound theoretical foundation to build further studies upon. Only a limited number of studies was carried out in Turkey that focus on international health-care tourism, and the present study will fill a substantial research gap.
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Ahmed Kamassi, Noor Hazilah Abd Manaf and Azura Omar
This paper aims to address and identify the major stakeholders in the medical tourism industry, based on their participation in medical tourism activities and their support for…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to address and identify the major stakeholders in the medical tourism industry, based on their participation in medical tourism activities and their support for medical tourism development.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper systematically reviews the content of medical tourism studies from literature to identify key stakeholders and address the roles they play in the medical tourism industry.
Findings
This study shows that the key stakeholders in the medical tourism industry are eight, namely, medical tourists, health-care providers, government agencies, facilitators, accreditation and credentialing bodies, health-care marketers, insurance providers and infrastructure and facilities. These stakeholders strongly influence medical tourists’ decision-making process in seeking medical treatment abroad. Besides, a successful medical tourism development depends greatly on the excellent partnership between all stakeholders.
Practical implications
This paper sheds light on the crucial role of these stakeholders that can be an important consideration in medical tourists’ decision-making process and industry growth. The study can facilitate policymakers in designing and developing policies to improve medical tourism practices.
Originality/value
This paper expands the knowledge about medical tourism literature by identifying and explaining the significant role of each stakeholder in the industry. The results of this paper are quite revealing to all practitioners in terms of the potential strategies and medical tourism growth. The study establishes a foundation for future medical tourism research in the rapidly growing industry.
目的
本文旨在根据医疗旅游的参与及其对医疗旅游发展的支持, 来确定医疗旅游的主要利益相关者。
设计/方法/方法
本文系统地回顾了文献中的医疗旅游研究内容, 以识别关键的利益相关者并探讨他们在医疗旅游行业中所扮演的角色。
结果
这项研究表明, 医疗旅游的主要利益相关者有八个:医疗游客, 医疗保健提供者, 政府机构, 促进者, 资格认证机构, 医疗保健营销人员, 保险提供者以及基础设施。这些利益相关者强烈影响医疗旅游游客在国外寻求医疗服务的决策过程。此外, 医疗旅游业的成功发展很大程度上取决于所有利益相关者之间的良好伙伴关系。
实际含义
本文阐明了这些利益相关者的关键作用, 这是医疗游客决策过程和行业增长的重要考虑因素。该研究可以帮助决策者设计和制定改善医疗旅游实践的政策。
创意/价值
本文通过确定和解释每个利益相关者在行业中的重要作用, 扩展了对医疗旅游文献的了解。本文的结果在潜在策略和医疗旅游的增长方面对所有从业者都颇具启发性。该研究为快速发展的医疗旅游行业的未来方向研究奠定了基础。
Propósito
Este artículo, tiene como objetivo abordar e identificar, los principales actores en la industria del turismo médico, en función de su participación en actividades de turismo médico y su apoyo al desarrollo del turismo médico.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
El trabajo revisa sistemáticamente, la literatura y el contenido de los estudios de turismo médico para identificar a las partes interesadas, elementos clave y abordar los roles que desempeñan en la industria del turismo médico.
Resultados
Este estudio muestra que los actores clave en la industria del turismo médico son ocho: turistas médicos, proveedores de atención médica, agencias gubernamentales, facilitadores, organismos de acreditación y acreditación, comercializadores de atención médica, proveedores de seguros e infraestructura e instalaciones. Estos actores, influyen de forma notable, en el proceso de toma de decisiones de los turistas médicos, al buscar tratamiento en el extranjero. Además, un desarrollo exitoso del turismo médico depende en gran medida de una excelente asociación entre todas las partes interesadas.
Implicaciones prácticas
Este documento arroja luz sobre el papel crucial de estos actores y puede ser una consideración importante en el proceso de toma de decisiones de los turistas médicos y el crecimiento de la industria. El estudio puede facilitar, en el diseño y desarrollo de políticas para mejorar las prácticas de turismo medico, a los responsables políticos.
Originalidad/valor
Este documento amplía el conocimiento sobre la literatura de turismo medico, identificando y explicando el papel importante de cada actor en la industria. Los resultados de este documento son bastante reveladores para todos los profesionales, en términos de estrategias potenciales y crecimiento del turismo médico. El estudio establece una base para futuras investigaciones sobre turismo médico en la industria de rápido crecimiento.
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The major purpose of this introduction to the special issue of Tourism Review on health and medical tourism is to outline some of main issues that exist in the academic literature…
Abstract
Purpose
The major purpose of this introduction to the special issue of Tourism Review on health and medical tourism is to outline some of main issues that exist in the academic literature in this rapidly developing field.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reviews relevant health and medical tourism and cognate literature.
Findings
The paper identifies some of the interrelationships between different areas of health and medical tourism, including wellness and wellbeing tourism, dental tourism, stem‐cell tourism, transplant tourism, abortion tourism, and xeno‐tourism. Key to defining these areas are the relationships to concepts of wellness and illness and the extent to which regulation encourages individuals to engage in cross‐border purchase of health services and products. Key themes that emerge in the literature include regulation, ethics, the potential individual and public health risks associated with medical tourism, and the relative lack of information on the extent of medical tourism.
Social implications
The development of international medical tourism is demonstrated to have potentially significant implications for global public health.
Originality/value
The paper covers an extensive range of academic literature on international medical tourism which indicates the different approaches and emphases of research in different disciplines as well as the ideological and philosophical differences that exist with respect to health medical tourism. The paper also notes that some of the individual and public health risks of medical tourism are not usually incorporated into assessments of its potential economic benefits.
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Ilhan Sağ, Ferhat Devrim Zengul and Keziban Avcı
This paper aims to explore the public’s attitude toward medical tourism activities by developing a measurement instrument in Turkey, an emerging medical tourism destination.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the public’s attitude toward medical tourism activities by developing a measurement instrument in Turkey, an emerging medical tourism destination.
Design/methodology/approach
During the development phase of the scale, 24 question pools were created. After the pilot study, data from a 20-question survey were collected from a study group consisting of Turkish citizens who received services from hospitals in the city of Ankara. Data were collected through convenience sampling of 221 study participants as they were walking in the Square of Kızılay, one of the most important centers and junction points in Turkey, between November 25, 2017, and December 27, 2017.
Findings
The content validity of the scale was assessed by expert opinion. The scale reliability is high with Cronbach’s α (0.908). A factor analysis was performed to assess the factor structure of the scale. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measure of sampling adequacy (0.895) and Bartlett’s test (χ2 = 2,020.967; p = 0.001) were applied to determine the conformity of the scale of factor analysis. Exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation was performed to determine the factor structure of the scale. The 20 questions loaded under three factors: “contribution to the country,” “anxiety in getting services” and “service justice”. These factors explained approximately 55% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed with goodness-of-fit index (0.877), Bentler comparative fit index (0.909) and root mean square error of approximation index (0.069) to determine the validity of the factor structure, and the results indicated that the three-factor model is an acceptable level. All the results show that this new scale is valid and reliable in measuring the public’s attitude toward the development of medical tourism in Turkey.
Originality/value
The public’s attitudes on the medical tourism scale show that, as a measurement tool, it can be used validly and reliably in determining the public’s attitudes toward medical tourism.
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Keywords
– The purpose of this paper is to delineate a clear definition of health tourism, and to explain it in two sub-categories, namely, medical tourism, and wellness tourism.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to delineate a clear definition of health tourism, and to explain it in two sub-categories, namely, medical tourism, and wellness tourism.
Design/methodology/approach
Grounded theory approach through an in-depth literature review and practical data from three different cities were researched to support the study.
Findings
Determinants of travelers’ decision making for the destination of health tourism, such as distance, cost, language, economy, competency of medical technology, and culture, in each classification of health tourism, were identified.
Originality/value
This study suggests an inductive research model to synthesize and structure a logical relationship of determinants that affect health tourists’ decision to visit specific health tourism destinations. The results of this study are quite revealing to governments, industrial practitioners, and potential customers of health tourism in terms of the context of health tourism and the behavior of health tourists.
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