MEDICAL TOURISM IN GLOBAL MARKET (original) (raw)

Medical tourism market trends -an exploratory research

Medical tourism is a modern concept, but not a new tourism practice. Even there is still no international consent on the definitions and measurement of this trend, its importance in the development of a tourism destination started to be taken into consideration. In accordance with tourism segment classification depending on journey reasons recommended by World Tourism Organization, one of the main groups is for "medical treatment/health". Being part of health tourism, medical tourism is often called medical travel because it includes the act of travelling to different countries for medical reasons. An increasing significant element in medical service trade is patient circulation at cross-border level with a view to obtaining necessary health services; this circulation generated a new phenomenon, namely medical tourism. Studying the scientific literature we find new medical tourism trends in connection with globalization and liberalization. The countries that decided to promote this niche tourism are aware of the huge economic benefits brought by this. Analyzing published data by tourism medical organizations associated to indicators of economic development, we find two aspects: the success of a medical tourism destination is influenced by the economical level of the receiving countries, but, at the same time, it is also a growth factor for developing economies if it is included in their national strategy. We intend to find the answer of several questions: trends in medical tourism development are involving only medical service trade, or a combination of specific activities of many sectors? Is the medical tourism acting in favor of developing economies? This study aims to notice the development trends of the medical tourism based on the published figures and on the experience of major destinations and to highlight the importance of the medical tourism for the developing economies.

Medical Tourism – Health Care in the Global Economy

Explore the growing trend of medical tourism where citizens of highly developed countries travel to less developed areas of the world to receive medical care, bypassing services offered in their own communities. Trends Although physician executives are certainly aware that some patients bypass their hospital, clinic or ambulatory surgery center on the way to the airport to have care in other cities, they may be somewhat surprised to learn that an increasing number of patients are traveling to a wide variety of destinations around the world for medical, surgical and dental care. Driven by a number of forces outside typical medical referral systems, these " medical tourists " seek modern health care at affordable prices in countries at variable levels of development. Medical tourism is different from the traditional form of international medical care where patients typically journey from less developed nations to major medical centers in highly developed countries for advanced medical treatment.

Medical Tourism Industry : Its Framework and Impact on the Global Healthcare

2018

The global growth in the flow of patients and health professionals as well as capital funding and medical technology has given rise to the multi billion industry of medical tourism, on the global market. Experts often call it medical tourism Gold Rush, comparing the recent explosive growth and pace of medical tourism participants’ emergence on the international market with California gold rush. Nations’ Governments around the World express interest in cultivating sectors of medical tourism, as a source of lucrative income and an opportunity for economic growth, health system improvement. Experts of the field find big potential and forecast great perspectives in Health and Medical tourism for Georgia. However, the topic is not studied. For this purpose, firstly, scoping review of literature is conducted to overview the best practices in developing and less developed countries, to identify needs and topics to focus for the research, in Georgia. Studies mainly focus on the drivers of m...

Medical Tourism Industry Challenges In The Context Of Globalization

Management Strategies Journal, 2014

Medical tourism is not a new concept, even though there is still no international consensus on the name of this phenomenon that is manifesting itself for thousands of years. It is defined by moving patients in various countries to obtain medical care and combined with certain tourist facilities. Increased flow of patients seeking treatment abroad is a global phenomenon linked to economic growth which generates income revenue and a high level of education. Internationally, medical tourism increases by 20% per year, global market for medical tourism at present is estimated to be about 100 billion dollars. This study tries to highlight a conceptual analysis of medical tourism, the targeting of medical tourism flows and major destinations and the proposed tourism development strategies based on the experience of several countries medical.

The Growth of Medical Tourism

Advances in Hospitality, Tourism, and the Services Industry, 2015

In the late 2000s, the author wrote a summary paper on the rise of medical tourism. That paper discussed the rapid growth of interest in medical, health and wellness tourism, especially since 2003. The medical tourism industry has a long history, but this massive growth is a new phenomenon. The important factors are: the changing distribution of medical services and technologies; the growth of interest among both local medical practitioners and travel agents; the packaging of tourism and medical services as a single product; and, most significantly, the availability of the Internet to disseminate information them, creating a global market. The present chapter considers first the burgeoning literature on medical tourism. Second, the processes of development in countries becoming the main players in the international provision of medical services are discussed. Third, the chapter looks at the debates surrounding the rise of medical tourism in the developed countries.

The Current Trends And Opportunities In The Industry Of Medical Tourism

Revista de Turism: Studii si Cercetari in Turism, 2016

The industry of medical tourism is a non-regulated domain and due to this, it has certain risks. The existing information is variable and fluctuating because there is no unique trustworthy authority that could provide information. The travels performed with the aim to benefit from medical services are not something new but they manifest within a new, growing and globalized context. The aim of this study is to identify the current status of Romanian Health Tourism in the light of the data collected from the specialised bodies, to evaluate the developments and to make recommendations on what should be done in the future. The study is supported by a general analysis of the literature in the field of medical tourism. The study integrated policy analysis, desk-based work, and economic analysis to estimate preliminary costs. The results obtained highlight Romania’s advantages on this special market – of the medical tourism, the activities that need to be performed for a better visibi...

Medical Tourism: Drivers, Trends and Destinations

Cactus, 2018

Medical tourism is a highly growing trend globally, with an average of 6 million people traveling yearly to other countries with the sole purpose to get medical care. This number does not take into account people who travel within their own country from one region to another for the same purpose. The global market was worth USD10.5 billion in 2012 and is expected to grow to reach an estimated value higher than 100 billion USD in 2019. This paper will base itself on a statistical and numerical data that is published by the leading authorities in the field of tourism as well as data and research from various high profile associations and organizations that specialize in the domain of tourism. The gathered data will be analyzed and an assessment of the leading countries in the field of medical tourism will be drawn, these countries will be evaluated in order to determine the main trends and influences that govern the behavior of tourists on the look for better medical services abroad. ...

Medical Tourism: Analysis of the State of International Tourism and Prospects for Domestic Development

Universal Journal of Public Health, 2021

Medical tourism is a relatively popular area of tourism, and the primary purpose is to organize the treatment of a patient abroad. It differs from usual tourism in that rest abroad is combined with medical services, which are ready to provide the world's leading centres and clinics. The study is devoted to developing recommendations for ensuring the sustainable development of Ukrainian medical tourism, based on the analysis of international tourism achievements. In their study, the authors similarly considered the very concept of medical tourism, its features and main directions, namely, the authors deemed such directions as diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitation, health-improving and non-traditional tourism. The authors examined the leading countries of inbound medical tourism, as well as the key incentives for such tourists. Analysis of the growth dynamics of medical tourists by year and the main directions of medical tourism in Ukraine allowed the authors to highlight the most promising Ukrainian medical tourism destinations. In conclusion, the authors analyzed the benefits of international and Ukrainian medical tourism. Summing up, the authors concluded that medical tourism in Ukraine is only at the initial stage of its development; however, certain regions have significant potential for its successful formation.

Trends in Medical Tourism in the Context of Globalization

2018

Medical tourism is a phenomenon that has been manifested for thousands of years and is now defined by the need of patients from the developed countries to obtain care and medical services combined with certain tourist facilities. Specialty literature emphasizes that this concept is used to designate a journey whose motivation involves a medical procedure or activities that promote the physical and mental well-being of man. The growing presence of patients from the high-income countries in countries with emerging economies and developing economies is explained by the fact that these countries provide high-quality medical services at low costs (a phenomenon known as medical outsourcing). Increasing the flow of patients seeking treatments abroad is a global phenomenon, linked to economic development that generates income growth and education. Tourism is and must become a profitable business, we must struggle with us and with the competition of other international tourism operators to p...

Identification of Factors for the Development of Medical Tourism in the World

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021

The overall objective of the given paper was to study the relationship of inbound medical tourism destinations with international tourism, economic development of recipient countries, the development of national healthcare systems and the institutional features of their environment, in terms of protection of the rights and freedoms of both business and citizens. In order to achieve this objective, the authors used methods of grouping, as well as correlation and regression analysis. The conducted study revealed that the formation of medical tourism destinations in countries with high social and economic development occurs in a balanced and unidirectional manner; simultaneously, one can see that the countries with “new economic development” form a sufficiently powerful and competitive market for medical tourism. All these countries have one thing in common: namely, there is a link between medical tourism and healthcare funding, international tourism and development of political and ci...