Explaining the Medical Tourism Model Using Thematic Analysis A Case Study of Tehran University of Medical Sciences Hospitals

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student in Marketing Management, Department of Business Management, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Business Management, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of Business Management, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Medical tourism is the travel of patients to other countries to use cheaper and quality medical services than their own country, which is considered a sub-branch of health tourism. The economic and political function of medical tourism is one of its most important consequences for the host society. Also, according to the legal requirements of its implementation, the main research question is “What is the appropriate model for attracting medical tourists to Tehran Medical Sciences Hospitals?”. Therefore, the main goal of the research is to explain the model of attracting medical tourism in medical sciences hospitals in Tehran and to identify its components. In terms of purpose, the research method is applied and developmental. The data was collected from the field using the qualitative method. To design the model, 13 managers and experts of public hospitals under Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected and a semi-structured interview was conducted, which was analyzed and coded based on theme analysis. After measuring the reliability (retest) and validity (reciprocity of the interviews) of the data, a proposed model was presented. Based on the obtained model, seven themes were identified: “behavioral quality of the treatment staff, professional quality of the treatment staff, treatment costs, quality medical centers, the perceived image of the medical brand, the quality of the treatment process, and the components of the treatment destination. The results showed that, according to the fit indicators, the model has sufficient validity and the identified themes are effective in attracting medical tourists.

Keywords

References

analysis of indicators affecting the choice of health tourism destination from the point of view of elderly medical tourists. Tourism of Culture, 3(10), 35-48.
Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, (14), 77-101.
Braveman, P. (2013). What is Health Equity and How Does a Life-Course Approach Take Us Further Toward It. Matern Child Health Journal, 6 (26), 1–7.
Danaei Fard, H., Elwani, M. & Azar, A. (2014). Quantitative research methodology in management: a comprehensive approach. Tehran: Safar.
Das, G. & Mukherjee, S. (2016). A measure of medical tourism destination brand equity. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, 10 (1), 104-128.
Debata, B., Patnaik, B., Mahapatra, S. & Sree, K. (2015). Interrelations of service uality and service loyalty dimensions in medical tourism. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 22 (1), 18-55.
Feodor, E. & Gareth, A. (2014). Navigating choice: medical tourism, travel & care in the new global biomedicine (Unpublished Ph.D Thesis). Faculty of rensselaer polytechnic institute Troy, New York, USA.
Hadizadeh Moghadam, A., Zahedian, M., Ghanbarzadeh, R. & Fakharmesh, S. (2012) The pattern of influencing factors on the motivation of medical tourists to enter Iran. Journal of Business Management Perspective, (15), 59-79.
Haghigi Kafash, M., Ziahi, M. & Ja’fari, A. (2008). Olaviat-bandi-ye Avamel-e Marbout be Tose’e-ye Gardeshgari-ye Darmani dar Iran [Prioritization of factors related to the development of medical tourism in Iran].Tourism Management Studies, (11&12), 23-40.
Hoz-Correa, A., Leiva, F. & Bakucz, M. (2018). Past themes and future trends in medical tourism research: A co-word Analysis. Tourism Management, (65), 200-211.
Jaapar, M., Musa, G., Moghavami, S. & Saub, R. (2017). Dental tourism: Examining tourist profiles, motivation and Satisfaction. Tourism Management, (61), 538-552.
Kvale, S. (1996). Interviews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing.Thousand .CA: Sage.
Manaf, N., Hussin, H., Kassim, P., Alavi, R. & Dahari, Z. (2015). Country perspective on medical tourism: the Malaysian experience. Leadership in Health Services, 28 (1), 43-56.
Mansouri, H., Esmail Pour, H. & Saeednia, H. (2021). Designing a medical tourism model in the era of Covid-19 using a hybrid approach. Behavioral Sciences Research, 19(3), 508-518.
Moghavvami, S, Ormond, M., Musa, G., Mohamed, R. & Thiromoorthi, T. (2017). Connecting with prospective medical tourists online: A cross-sectional analysis of private hospital websites promoting medical tourism in India, Malaysia and Thailand. Tourism Management, (58), 154-163.
Nikraftar, T., Hosseini, E. & Moghadam, A. (2015). Identifying effective factors in attracting medical tourists in Iran. Health Management, 20(67), 64-74.
Noree,T. (2015). The impact of medical tourism on the domestic economy and private
health system: a case study of Thailand (Unpublished Ph.D Thesis). Faculty of public health and policy, London school of hygiene and tropical medicine, England.
Papoli Yazdi, M. & Saghayi, M. (2007). Tourism (Nature and Concepts). Tehran: Samt.
Prajitmutita, L., Perényi. A. & Prentice, C. (2016). Quality,Value? – Insights intoMedicalTourists’ Attitudesand Behaviors. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, (31), 207–216.
Sadre Mommtaz, N. & Agha-Rahimi, Z. (2010). Medical Tourism Industry in Iran:
Strategies for Developing. Manegment of Heath Information, 7 (3), 516–524.
Schäfer, W. (2011). Qualicopc, a Multi-Country Study Evaluating Quality, Costs and Equity in Primary Care. BMC Family Practice, 115 (12), 1-9.
Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Vaezi, R., Chegin, M. & Aslipour, H. (2017). Policy-making challenges in Iran’s health tourism based on thematic analysis approach. Tourism Management Studies, (41), 1-40.
Zailani, S., Mohezar, S., Iranmanesh, M.,  Moghavvemi, S. & Musa, G. (2016). Predicting Muslim medical tourists’ satisfaction with Malaysian Islamic friendly hospitals. Tourism Management, (57), 159-167.
Tourism of Culture
Volume 4, Issue 12
May 2023
Pages 16-29

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 21 December 2022
  • Revise Date: 28 January 2023
  • Accept Date: 09 February 2023

Share

How to cite

Statistics