Healthcare provision for medical tourism: A comparative review

Providing quality services, using modern technologies, having effective marketing, and providing services at an international level have led to the globalization of hospital services. This study aimed to identify the components of health services in developing countries that provide services to inte...

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Main Authors: Samira Raoofi, Rahim Khodayari-Zarnaq, Soudabeh Vatankhah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2024-01-01
Series:Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jehp.net/article.asp?issn=2277-9531;year=2024;volume=13;issue=1;spage=63;epage=63;aulast=Raoofi
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author Samira Raoofi
Rahim Khodayari-Zarnaq
Soudabeh Vatankhah
author_facet Samira Raoofi
Rahim Khodayari-Zarnaq
Soudabeh Vatankhah
author_sort Samira Raoofi
collection DOAJ
description Providing quality services, using modern technologies, having effective marketing, and providing services at an international level have led to the globalization of hospital services. This study aimed to identify the components of health services in developing countries that provide services to international patients. A comparative review was conducted by searching in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Google, and the websites of the World Medical Tourism Organization, the World Bank, and the Ministry of Health of the selected countries from 2000 to 2022. Iran, Turkey, Jordan, Costa Rica, the UAE, and Singapore were selected. The data were collected and analyzed using a comparative table. Different strategies were used to develop the medical tourism industry among the studied countries, but the main challenges in this field included the inappropriateness of the quality of the services provided or the provision of services that did not meet the needs of patients, the lack of expert human resource, not using medical facilitation companies, communication problems with patients, insufficient government support for medical tourism, and strict laws regarding business. The development of activities in the medical tourism industry requires planning in various dimensions. It seems that developing the medical marketing and activities of facilitator companies to facilitate patient admission, monitoring the quality of services provided, improving interdepartmental coordination, and considering a single trustee for this industry will improve the medical tourism status in Iran.
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spelling doaj.art-7c36371c14d54e0da3499e56839f50c42024-03-25T11:15:09ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Education and Health Promotion2277-95312024-01-01131636310.4103/jehp.jehp_1740_22Healthcare provision for medical tourism: A comparative reviewSamira RaoofiRahim Khodayari-ZarnaqSoudabeh VatankhahProviding quality services, using modern technologies, having effective marketing, and providing services at an international level have led to the globalization of hospital services. This study aimed to identify the components of health services in developing countries that provide services to international patients. A comparative review was conducted by searching in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Google, and the websites of the World Medical Tourism Organization, the World Bank, and the Ministry of Health of the selected countries from 2000 to 2022. Iran, Turkey, Jordan, Costa Rica, the UAE, and Singapore were selected. The data were collected and analyzed using a comparative table. Different strategies were used to develop the medical tourism industry among the studied countries, but the main challenges in this field included the inappropriateness of the quality of the services provided or the provision of services that did not meet the needs of patients, the lack of expert human resource, not using medical facilitation companies, communication problems with patients, insufficient government support for medical tourism, and strict laws regarding business. The development of activities in the medical tourism industry requires planning in various dimensions. It seems that developing the medical marketing and activities of facilitator companies to facilitate patient admission, monitoring the quality of services provided, improving interdepartmental coordination, and considering a single trustee for this industry will improve the medical tourism status in Iran.http://www.jehp.net/article.asp?issn=2277-9531;year=2024;volume=13;issue=1;spage=63;epage=63;aulast=Raooficomparative studiesdeveloping countrieshospitalsmedical servicesmedical tourism
spellingShingle Samira Raoofi
Rahim Khodayari-Zarnaq
Soudabeh Vatankhah
Healthcare provision for medical tourism: A comparative review
Journal of Education and Health Promotion
comparative studies
developing countries
hospitals
medical services
medical tourism
title Healthcare provision for medical tourism: A comparative review
title_full Healthcare provision for medical tourism: A comparative review
title_fullStr Healthcare provision for medical tourism: A comparative review
title_full_unstemmed Healthcare provision for medical tourism: A comparative review
title_short Healthcare provision for medical tourism: A comparative review
title_sort healthcare provision for medical tourism a comparative review
topic comparative studies
developing countries
hospitals
medical services
medical tourism
url http://www.jehp.net/article.asp?issn=2277-9531;year=2024;volume=13;issue=1;spage=63;epage=63;aulast=Raoofi
work_keys_str_mv AT samiraraoofi healthcareprovisionformedicaltourismacomparativereview
AT rahimkhodayarizarnaq healthcareprovisionformedicaltourismacomparativereview
AT soudabehvatankhah healthcareprovisionformedicaltourismacomparativereview