WHAT IS DRIVING THE GROWTH IN MEDICAL TOURISM?

WHAT IS DRIVING THE GROWTH
IN MEDICAL TOURISM?

A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings,
and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses.

Hippocrates, Regimen in Health

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WHAT IS DRIVING THE GROWTH IN MEDICAL TOURISM? Medical tourism
is a new term but
A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how not a new idea.
by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses. Patients have
long travelled in
Hippocrates, Regimen in Health search of better
care.
INTRODUCTION

In today’s world the above quotation holds very true; with the growth of the medical tourism industry,
human beings have started deriving benefits from their illnesses in the form of travel.

This change has brought about a new industry called ‘Medical Tourism’. Medical tourism, also
referred to as international medical migration, patient migration and medical travel, is a new term but
not a new idea. Patients have long travelled in search of better care. Medical tourists seek modern
healthcare at a ordable prices in countries at various levels of economic development (Horowitz and
Rosensweig, 2007). People from the Western world have started going to other countries for their
medical treatments, instead of the other way around. However, medical tourism can be inbound and
outbound. In inbound medical tourism, a uent patients, primarily from less developed countries,
travel to more developed countries for medical treatments when high quality facilities are unavailable
in their home country. Other inbound tourists may arrive where healthcare is socialized and patients
choose not to be on a wait list, such as in Canada.With rising healthcare costs, long waiting lists,
and restrictions on availability of some treatments, combined with the ease of global travel, medical
tourism has become more appealing.

While it’s yet to be determined how health care reform a ects the industry, medical tourism is
an opportunistic industry that will have great impact on how the world looks at healthcare in the
coming years. The medical tourism industry is evolving quickly and individuals worldwide are aware
of it. Countries like India, Thailand and several in Latin America have developed a medical industry
catering to medical tourists. Medical tourism has become an important aspect of today’s healthcare
industry and is booming.

Medical tourism is becoming a significant sector of the world’s economy. Florida is sometimes a An additional
preferred destination because of its natural scenic beauty and attractions. It is estimated that 400,000 benefit is
foreign residents visited the United States in 2008, spending almost $5 billion on medical procedures. thatanother
Medical tourism in India is expected to increase to between US$ 50 billion and US$ 69 billion, or 6.2% country provides
to 8.5% of India’s gross domestic product (Horowitz and Rosensweig, 2007). Thailand had more than privacy and
a million patient visits in 2005, generating revenues of US$61.5million (Teh, 2007). Medical tourism in confidentiality
Asia is expected to grow to US$ 4.4 billion by 2012 (Teh, 2007).

Medical tourism is market driven—it is shaped by the complex interactions of myriad medical,
economic, social and political forces. Medical tourists embark on worldwide journeys for health care
to lower costs, decrease wait times, and access medical services that aren’t available in their home
country. For patients from countries where a governmental health care system regulates access to
health care, the reason to leave the local market is the desire to have timely treatment, circumventing
delays associated with long waiting lists. Because national health programs and some insurance
programs do not fund cosmetic surgery and similar types of services, patients seeking these services
are driven to pursue medical tourism. Patients also travel to medical tourism destinations for
procedures that are not available in their own countries. For example, stem cell therapy, unobtainable
by many patients in industrialized countries, is available in the medical tourism marketplace. The
now deceased Charlie’s Angels star, Farah Fawcett, struggled to find a cure for cancer three years

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ago, which ultimately took her to Germany for a unique procedure that was not available in the United Johnston et
States. al. (2011)
interviewed
Resources are insu cient for people to comfortably purchase care in their local market, but medical tourism
adequate for them to buy care in lower-cost foreign facilities. An additional benefit is that another service providers
country provides privacy and confidentiality for patients undergoing plastic surgery, sex change in Canada.
procedures and drug rehabilitation; their medical records cannot be viewed by the myriad parties These Canadian
who can access these documents in the United States. providers
stated that their
While much has been written about medical tourism and its impacts and ethics, little research has customers were
been conducted to quantify the reasons for its growth. Peters and Sauer (2011) surveyed medical mostly motivated
tourism service providers in the United States. These providers stated that cost savings, quality by services not
of care, experience and reputation of the provider, accreditation, distance and ease of travel, and being available in
decreased waiting times are primary motivators for consumers to travel to another country for Canada, waiting
medical services. Johnston et al. (2011) interviewed medical tourism service providers in Canada. lists, and costs, in
These Canadian providers stated that their customers were mostly motivated by services not being that order.
available in Canada, waiting lists, and costs, in that order. Mechinda et al. (2010) interviewed medical
tourists in one city in Thailand and concluded that trust was the most important driver for those
visiting a hospital and satisfaction was most important for those visiting a clinic.

The current study was developed to directly survey a wide range of global consumers on their
experiences and consideration of medical tourism. qSample’s online traveler panel was used to
reach a broad group of consumers.

Method

The current study used an international sample of potential medical tourists. The questionnaire was
developed and hosted online by qSample. The sample was deployed to qSample’s traveler panel with
an estimated 2800 respondents invited to participate. The survey was viewed by 1074 respondents,
started by 806 (75%), and completed by 575 (54% of those who viewed it and 68.5% of those who
started it). Panel members who completed the survey were awarded with points that could be
redeemed for online gift cards, once the member’s account reaches a redemption level.

Results

Of the 575 respondents who answered the question, 34% said they had considered going to another
country for medical treatment and 17% (of 595 respondents) said that they had actually done so. These
numbers are consistent with other research conducted on medical tourism over the last four years.

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When asked what country they would consider for medical tourism, the highest numbers were When asked
for the United States (10% of 212 respondents) and the United Kingdom (8%). Other countries what country
considered included Germany (6%), India (5%), Singapore (5%), Canada (5%), Mexico (3%), and they would
Australia (4%). consider for
medical tourism,
Country considered Number Percent the highest
numbers were
Australia 9 4.25% for the United
Canada 10 4.72% States (11% of
China 5 2.36% 208 respondents)
Egypt 3 1.42% and the United
France 5 2.36% Kingdom (9%).
Germany 13 6.13% Other countries
India 11 5.19% considered
Italy 4 1.89% included
Japan 5 2.36% Germany (6%),
Mexico 7 3.30% India (5%),
New Zealand 3 1.42% Singapore (5%),
Norway 3 1.42% Canada (4%),
Russian Federation 3 1.42% Mexico (3%), and
Singapore 11 5.19% Australia (3%).
South Africa 3 1.42%
Spain 2 0.96%
Sweden 5 2.36%
Turkey 4 1.89%
United Kingdom 17 8.02%
United States 22 10.38%
TOTAL 208

The type of treatment that was reported most frequently was dentistry, with 43 mentions
(17%). Other procedures mentioned frequently were cosmetic (12%), cardiovascular (10%), and
orthopaedic (8%).

Treatment Considered Number Percent

Cosmetic/Plastics/Aesthetic 30 11.86%
Dental 43 17.00%
Cardiovascular 23 9.09%
Orthopedic 19 7.51%
Bariatric/Obesity 14 5.53%
Ophthalmology/Lasik 12 4.74%
Urology 12 4.74%
Neurology 16 6.32%
Fertility/IVF 10 3.95%

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General Surgery 19 7.51% The main method
Psychology 15 5.93% used to obtain
Executive Physical Exams/Wellness Evaluations 19 7.51% information
Oncology/Cancer treatments 9 3.56% about medical
ENT 9 3.56% tourism was the
Medication 1 0% Internet (46%).
Kidney Stones 1 0%
G6PD Deficiency 1 0%
TOTAL 253

When given a choice between cost, time, and availability for going to another country for
medical tourism, cost was named most frequently at 44%. Availability was mentioned by 33%
of the respondents and 19% mentioned time or speed of treatment.

Reason Number Percent

Cost 44 44.00%
Time 19 19.00%
Procedure not o ered in my country 33 33.00%
Automobile accident 1 1.00%
Condition not common in my country 1 1.00%
Expertise 1 1.00%
Other 1 1.00%
TOTAL 100

Over half (54.2%) of the respondents who participated in medical tourism used a medical
tourism facilitator. However, they were far more likely to use the Internet (47.2%) to research
country destinations and hospitals. Friends and family was mentioned by 19.8% and a doctor’s
referral was mentioned by 18.9% of the respondents.

How did you research your information for medical tourism on country destinations and hospitals?

Research Method Number Percent

Internet 48 48.48%

Referral from home country doctor 18 18.18%

Friends/Family 19 19.19%

Medical tourism facilitator 12 12.12%

Other(Specify) 2 2.02%

TOTAL 99

Did you use a medical tourism facilitator?

Used a Facilitator Number Percent
56.00%
Yes 56 44.00%

No 44

TOTAL 100

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Those who used medical tourism facilitators were satisfied with the facilitator (4 on a scale Those who used
of 5) and would recommend the facilitator to others (4 on a scale of 5). medical tourism
facilitators were
Research Method Satisfied with facilitator Recommend facilitator satisfied with
Valid 52 49 the facilitator
Missing 800 803 (4 on a scale of
Mean 4.17 4.14 5) and would
Median 4.00 4.00 recommend
Mode 4 4 the facilitator to
others (4 on a
scale of 5).

Satisfied with facilitator Frequency Valid Percent
3 8 15.4
4 27 51.9
5 17 32.7
TOTAL 52 100.0

Recommend facilitator Frequency Valid Percent
2 3 6.1
3 6 12.2
4 21 42.9
5 19 38.8
TOTAL 49 100.0

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Conclusion Medical
facilitators can
While over a third of the respondents said they had considered medical tourism, only 15% be encouraged
had actually travelled to another country for medical care. Dental treatment was named from the results
most often as the type of treatment pursued in another country; perhaps dental care is since over half
seen as less risky than other types of treatments. the respondents
used a facilitator
All three of the expected reasons for medical tourism were given frequently but cost and for their medical
availability of the procedure were mentioned much more frequently than time. Only five travel.
respondents named a di erent reason.

Medical facilitators can be encouraged from the results since over half the respondents used
a facilitator for their medical travel.

References

Horowitz, M.D., & Rosensweig, JA. (2007). Medical tourism-healthcare in the global economy.
The Physician Executive, November-December: 24-30.

Johnston, R., Crooks, V.A., , Adams, K., Snyder, J., & Kingsbury, P. (2011). An industry
perspective on Canadian patients’ involvement in Medical Tourism: implications for public
health. BMC Public Health, 11 (416): 1-8.

Mechinda, P., Serirat, S., Anuwichanont, J., & Gulid, N. (2010) An Examination Of Tourists’
Loyalty Towards Medical Tourism In Pattaya, Thailand. The International Business &
Economics Research Journal, 9 (1) : 55-70.

Medical visas mark growth of Indian medical tourism (2007). Bulletin of the World Health
Organization, 85 (3): 164-165.

Peters. C.R. & Sauer, K.M. (2011). A Survey of Medical Tourism Service Providers. Journal of
Marketing Development and Competitiveness, 5(3): 117-126.

Teh, I. (2007).Health care tourism in Thailand: pain ahead. APBN, 11 (8): 493-497.

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