Health Professions › General Health Professions

Global Healthcare and Medical Tourism

Works Count: 42852

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Description

This cluster of papers explores the global phenomenon of medical tourism, including its impact on healthcare systems, patient experiences, ethical considerations, market analysis, and the globalization of healthcare services. It delves into topics such as quality of care, patient satisfaction, destination image, and the implications for both destination and departure countries. The papers also discuss the role of wellness tourism and the potential ethical and regulatory challenges associated with the industry.

Keywords

Medical Tourism; Healthcare Outsourcing; Wellness Tourism; Globalization of Healthcare; Patient Experience; Quality of Care; Market Analysis; Cross-Border Patient Mobility; Ethical Implications; Destination Image

Health and Wellness Tourism

2010-01-01

Melanie K. Smith , László Puczkó

Part One: History, Definitions and Scope Chapter One: Introduction Chapter Two: Historical Overview Chapter Three: Contemporary Definitions Chapter Four: Leisure, Lifestyle and Tourism Chapter Five: Typologies of Health and Wellness … Part One: History, Definitions and Scope Chapter One: Introduction Chapter Two: Historical Overview Chapter Three: Contemporary Definitions Chapter Four: Leisure, Lifestyle and Tourism Chapter Five: Typologies of Health and Wellness Tourism Chapter Six: An International and Regional Analysis Part Two: Managing and Marketing Health and Wellness Tourism Chapter Seven: Demand, Motivations and Profiles Chapter Eight: Planning and Development Chapter Nine: Managing Destinations and Sites Chapter Ten: Reaching Customers Chapter Eleven: Product Development Chapter Twelve: Conclusions: The Future of Health and Wellness Tourism Part Three: Operational and Management Issues in Health and Wellness Tourism Introduction Case One: Heritage of Spa and Health Tourism in Russia(Petroune, I. & Yachina, E.) Case Two: The Health Spa Resort Rogaska Slatine Returned to its Past Glory (Lebe, S.) Case Three: Regeneration of an Historic Spa Town: A Case Study of Spa in Belgium (Smith, M) Case Four: Vidago and Pedras Salgadas Spas: the Revival of a Tourism Attraction or a Marketing Technique for Beverages? (Joukes, V.) Case Five: The Luigiane Thermal Baths: a Tool for Deseasonalization of Tourist Demand in Calabria, Italy (Ferrari, S.) Case Six: Spa and Rehabilitation Centre in Eastern Finland(Tuohino, A. & Kangas, H.) Case Seven: Sao Pedro do Sul Thermal Centre: between Health and Wellness(Gustavo N.) Case Eight: Healing Hills and Wellness in Luxury (Netherlands) (Castermans-Godfried, I.) Case Nine: Using Wellness Elements for Branding an Exclusive Image of Tourism Sites in the North of Israel (Gelbman, A.) Case Ten: Peninsula Hot Springs - a New Spa Tourism Experience `Down Under' ( Laing, J.) Case Eleven: Ayurvedic Health Tourism in Kerala, India (Hannam, K.) Case Twelve: Hot Springs in Japanese Domestic and International Tourism (Ratz, T.) Case Thirteen: CHI spa at the Shangri-la, Sabah, Malaysia: its Philosophical and Management Concept and a Journey of Experiences(Chan, J.) Case Fourteen: The Big Chill Festival, England, UK (Laws, C.) Case Fifteen: The Growing Yoga Community in the Netherlands(Gerritsma, R.) Case Sixteen: Medical Tourism in India: A Case Study of Apollo Hospitals(George, B.) Case Seventeen: Business Tourism(Davidson, R.)

Medical tourism--health care in the global economy.

2007-12-21

Michael D Horowitz , Jeffrey A. Rosensweig

The medical tourism index: Scale development and validation

2015-09-07

Marc Fetscherin , Renee-Marie Stephano

Geographies of Health: An Introduction

2002-04-01

Anthony C. Gatrell , Susan J. Elliott

List of Figures. List of Tables. Figure Sources. Preface. Part I: Describing and Explaining Health in Geographical Settings:. 1. Introducing Geographies of Health. Health and Geography: Some Fundamental Concepts. Concepts … List of Figures. List of Tables. Figure Sources. Preface. Part I: Describing and Explaining Health in Geographical Settings:. 1. Introducing Geographies of Health. Health and Geography: Some Fundamental Concepts. Concepts of health. Geographical concepts. Geographies of Health: Five Case Studies. Asthma in New York. Area effects on smoking in disadvantaged communities in Glasgow. The changing political economy of sex in South Africa. The personal significance of home. Embodied spaces of health and medical information on the Internet. Concluding Remarks. Further Reading. 2. Explaining Geographies of Health. Positivist Approaches to the Geography of Health. Positivist explanation. Further examples of positivist approaches. Social Interactionist Approaches to the Geography of Health. Social interactionist explanation. Further examples of social interactionist approaches. Structuralist Approaches to the Geography of Health. Structuralist explanation. Further examples of structuralist or conflict-based approaches. Structurationist Approaches to the Geography of Health. Structurationist explanation. Further examples of structurationist approaches. Post-structuralist Approaches to the Geography of Health. Post-structuralist explanation. Further examples of post-structuralist approaches. Concluding Remarks. Further Reading. 3. Method and Technique in the Geography of Health. Mapping the Geography of Health: Quantitative Approaches. Visualization. Exploratory spatial data analysis. Modeling health data in a spatial setting. Geographical information systems and health. Interpreting the Geography of Health: Qualitative Approaches. Interviews. Focus groups. Other qualitative methods. Qualitative data analysis. Rigor in qualitative research. Concluding Remarks. Further Reading. Part II: Health and the Social Environment:. 4. Inequalities in Health Outcomes. Patterns of Inequality. Health inequalities: international comparisons. One Europe or many?. Health inequalities: regional and class divides. Explaining Inequalities in Health Outcomes. The programming hypothesis and the life course. Behavioral (lifestyle) factors. Social and community influences. Working conditions and local environments. Material deprivation and health. Concluding Remarks. Further Reading. 5. Inequalities in the Provision and Utilization of Health Services. Principles of Health Service Delivery. Levels of health care provision. Geographies of rationing. Efficiency and equity. The need for health care. Inequalities in the Provision of Health Services. Health care provision in developing countries. Health care provision in the developed world. Utilization of Services. Use of primary health care services. Use of secondary and tertiary health care services. Do Provision and Utilization Affect Outcome?. Concluding Remarks. Further Reading. 6. People on the Move: Migration and Health. Impact of Migration on Health. Migration and stress. The health of refugees. The impact of migration on the spread of disease. Migration and the incidence of disease and ill-health. Impact of Health Status on Migration. The selectivity of migration. Migration for health care and social support. The Relationship between Migration and the Delivery of Health Services. Concluding Remarks. Further Reading. Part III: Health and Human Modification of the Environment:. 7. Air Quality and Health. Types of Pollutants. Area Sources. Radon. Ozone. Linear Sources. Point Sources. Point sources in the developing world. Point sources in the developed world. Concluding Remarks. Further Reading. 8. Water Quality and Health. Water-borne Diseases. Cholera. Schistosomiasis. Gastroenteritis. Water Hardness. Chemical Contamination of Drinking Water. Aluminium, fluoride and arsenic. Other Forms of Contamination. Hazardous waste sites. Concluding Remarks. Further Reading. 9. Health Impacts of Global Environmental Change. Stratospheric Ozone Depletion. Ozone depletion and skin cancer. Other health impacts of ozone depletion. Global Climate Change. Direct effects: thermal stress. Indirect effects. Impacts on infectious (especially insect-borne) disease. Other health effects of climate change. Health Effects of Other Global Environmental Change. Concluding Remarks. Further Reading. 10. Conclusions: Emerging Themes in Geographies of Health. The Macro-scale: Health and the Global. The Meso-scale. The Micro-scale. References. Appendix: Web-based Resources for the Geographies of Health. Index

Medical tourism: globalization of the healthcare marketplace.

2007-11-13

Michael D. Horowitz , Jeffrey A. Rosensweig , Christopher A. Jones

The citizens of many countries have long traveled to the United States and to the developed countries of Europe to seek the expertise and advanced technology available in leading medical … The citizens of many countries have long traveled to the United States and to the developed countries of Europe to seek the expertise and advanced technology available in leading medical centers. In the recent past, a trend known as medical tourism has emerged wherein citizens of highly developed countries choose to bypass care offered in their own communities and travel to less developed areas of the world to receive a wide variety of medical services. Medical tourism is becoming increasingly popular, and it is projected that as many as 750,000 Americans will seek offshore medical care in 2007. This phenomenon is driven by marketplace forces and occurs outside of the view and control of the organized healthcare system. Medical tourism presents important concerns and challenges as well as potential opportunities. This trend will have increasing impact on the healthcare landscape in industrialized and developing countries around the world.

CONGENITAL CATARACT FOLLOWING GERMAN MEASLES IN THE MOTHER

1941-12-01

N. McA. Gregg

A Companion to Health and Medical Geography

2009-11-11

Tim Brown , Sara McLafferty , Graham Moon

This Companion provides a comprehensive account of health and medical geography and approaches the major themes and key topics from a variety of angles. Offers a unique breadth of topics … This Companion provides a comprehensive account of health and medical geography and approaches the major themes and key topics from a variety of angles. Offers a unique breadth of topics relating to both health and medical geography Includes contributions from a range of scholars from rising stars to established, internationally renowned authors Provides an up-to-date review of the state of the sub-discipline Thematically organized sections offer detailed accounts of specific issues and combine general overviews of the current literature with case study material Chapters cover topics at the cutting edge of the sub-discipline, including emerging and re-emerging diseases, the politics of disease, mental and emotional health, landscapes of despair, and the geography of care

Medical tourism: Assessing the evidence on treatment abroad

2010-02-25

Neil Lunt , Percivil Melendez Carrera

A Conceptual Model of Medical Tourism: Implications for Future Research

2010-04-30

Vincent C. S. Heung , Deniz Küçükusta , Haiyan Song

ABSTRACT An extensive review of the current literature reveals that no integrated theoretical framework for the holistic study of the medical tourism industry exists. This study, therefore, aims to fill … ABSTRACT An extensive review of the current literature reveals that no integrated theoretical framework for the holistic study of the medical tourism industry exists. This study, therefore, aims to fill this gap by proposing an integrated model for the investigation of this burgeoning tourism field. It is developed with a view to capturing the current situation of medical tourism in a given country or region from the supply and demand perspectives. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques are suggested as systematic tools to test and validate the model. This study not only has implications for future research, but also provides useful information for practitioners in the medical tourism industry.

Medical geography: therapeutic places, spaces and networks

2005-07-16

Fiona Smyth

Promoting medical tourism to India: Messages, images, and the marketing of international patient travel

2011-01-27

Valorie A. Crooks , Leigh Turner , Jeremy Snyder +2 more

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Health-care tourism — an exploratory study

1987-09-01

Jonathan N. Goodrich , Grace E. Goodrich

Mapping innovation dynamics in hospitals

2005-06-30

Faridah Djellal , Faı̈z Gallouj

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Accessibility and Utilization: Geographical Perspectives on Health Care Delivery

1986-01-01

John Mohan , Alun E. Joseph , David R. Phillips

Geographical Perspectives on Health Care Health Care Delivery Systems Some International Comparisons Access to Health Care Physician Organization, Location and Access to Health Care Measuring the Potential Physical Accessibility of … Geographical Perspectives on Health Care Health Care Delivery Systems Some International Comparisons Access to Health Care Physician Organization, Location and Access to Health Care Measuring the Potential Physical Accessibility of General Practitioner Services Utilization of Health Care Facilities Revealed Accessibility? Jarvis' Law and the Utilization of Mental Health Care Spatial Aspects of Health Care Planning

Medical tourism development in Hong Kong: An assessment of the barriers

2010-09-17

Vincent C. S. Heung , Deniz Küçükusta , Haiyan Song

The Content and Cost of Cataract Surgery

1993-08-01

Earl P. Steinberg , Jonathan C. Javitt , Phoebe D. Sharkey +5 more

Although more than 1 million cataract surgeries are performed annually in the United States, little is known about the frequency of use or cost of various services provided in connection … Although more than 1 million cataract surgeries are performed annually in the United States, little is known about the frequency of use or cost of various services provided in connection with this procedure. To assess the frequency with which various ophthalmic, optometric, anesthesia, and medical services are provided in conjunction with cataract surgery and to estimate the cost to Medicare associated with those services, we analyzed 1985 through 1988 Medicare claims records of a nationally representative 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries. The experience of 57 103 Medicare beneficiaries who underwent extracapsular cataract surgery in 1986 or 1987 that was not combined with another ophthalmologic procedure formed the basis of our analysis. Projections for current costs were performed using 1991 charges allowed by Medicare for physician services. We estimate that the median charge allowed by Medicare for a "typical" episode of cataract surgery in 1991 was approximately $2500. In addition to the $3.4 billion that Medicare spent in 1991 on such "typical" episodes, Medicare spent more than $39 million on miscellaneous "atypical" preoperative ophthalmologic tests, such as specular microscopy (14% of cases) and potential acuity testing (8% of cases), more than $7 million on postoperative ophthalmologic diagnostic tests, such as fluorescein angiography (3% of cases), and more than $18 million on perioperative medical services (most commonly electrocardiography and chest roentgenography). The major determinants of the cost to Medicare associated with cataract surgery are the rate of performance of cataract surgery and neodymium-YAG laser capsulotomy and the charges allowed for these procedures. Many other ophthalmologic and medical services are often provided preoperatively and/or postoperatively, but total Medicare expenditures for these services are relatively small.

Measuring potential physical accessibility to general practitioners in rural areas: A method and case study

1982-01-01

Alun E. Joseph , Peter R. Bantock

A typology of cross-border patient mobility

2010-08-06

Irene A. Glinos , Rita Baeten , Matthias Helble +1 more

Anxiety and strength of the UCS as determiners of the amount of eyelid conditioning.

1951-01-01

Kaye Spence , Janet A. Taylor

Medical tourism today: What is the state of existing knowledge?

2010-06-10

Laura Hopkins , Ronald Labonté , Vivien Runnels +1 more

Medical tourism: Sea, sun, sand and … surgery

2006-01-27

John Connell

A cross-cultural study of perceptions of medical tourism among Chinese, Japanese and Korean tourists in Korea

2011-03-05

Ji Yu , Tae Gyou Ko

The Development of Health Tourism Services

2005-01-01

Anna García−Altés

Contemporary medical tourism: Conceptualisation, culture and commodification

2012-06-16

John Connell

THE POST-THROMBOTIC ULCERATION OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY

1953-09-01

Robert R. Linton

Boston, Massachusetts FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY, MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Boston, Massachusetts FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY, MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Landscapes of care

2010-04-23

Christine Milligan , Janine Wiles

The term ‘landscapes of care’ has increasingly taken hold in the lexicon of health geography. As the complex social, embodied and organizational spatialities that emerge from and through relationships of … The term ‘landscapes of care’ has increasingly taken hold in the lexicon of health geography. As the complex social, embodied and organizational spatialities that emerge from and through relationships of care, landscapes of care open up spaces that enable us to unpack how differing bodies of geographical work might be thought of in relationship to each other. Specifically, we explore the relation between ‘proximity’ and ‘distance’ and caring for and about. In doing so, we seek to disrupt notions of proximity as straightforward geographical closeness, maintaining that even at a physical distance care can be socially and emotionally proximate.

Globalization and healthcare: understanding health and medical tourism

2006-08-01

Percivil Melendez Carrera , John F. P. Bridges

Faced with long waiting lists, the high cost of elective treatment and fewer barriers to travel, the idea of availing healthcare in another country is gaining greater appeal to many. … Faced with long waiting lists, the high cost of elective treatment and fewer barriers to travel, the idea of availing healthcare in another country is gaining greater appeal to many. The objective of this review is to perform a literature review of health and medical tourism, to define health and medical tourism based on the medical literature and to estimate the size of trade in healthcare. The Medline database was used for our literature review. In our initial search for ‘health tourism’ and ‘medical tourism’ we found a paucity of formal literature as well as conceptual ambiguity in the literature. Subsequently, we reviewed the literature on ‘tourism’ in general and in the context of healthcare. On the basis of 149 papers, we then sought to conceptualize health tourism and medical tourism. Based on our definitions, we likewise sought to estimate market capacity internationally. We defined health tourism as “the organized travel outside one’s local environment for the maintenance, enhancement or restoration of an individual’s wellbeing in mind and body”. A subset of this is medical tourism, which is “the organized travel outside one’s natural healthcare jurisdiction for the enhancement or restoration of the individual’s health through medical intervention”. At the international level, health tourism is an industry sustained by 617 million individuals with an annual growth of 3.9% annually and worth US$513 billion. In conclusion, this paper underscored the issue of a severely limited formal literature that is compounded by conceptual ambiguity facing health and medical tourism scholarship. In clarifying the concepts and standardizing definitions, and providing evidence with regard to the scale of trade in healthcare, we hope to assist in furthering fundamental research tasks, including the further development of reliable and comparable data, the push and pull factors for engaging in health and medical tourism, and the impact of health tourism but, more so, medical tourism on local healthcare systems.

‘First World Health Care at Third World Prices’: Globalization, Bioethics and Medical Tourism

2007-08-30

Leigh Turner

Health and medical tourism: a kill or cure for global public health?

2011-05-10

C. Michael Hall

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 … 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.

Wellness tourism: Market analysis of a special health tourism segment and implications for the hotel industry

2001-01-01

Hansruedi Mueller , Eveline Lanz Kaufmann

The term ‘wellness’ is widely used in European tourism. The principal observations regarding the wellness industry concern an expanding supply of and an insufficiently researched demand for wellness programmes. The … The term ‘wellness’ is widely used in European tourism. The principal observations regarding the wellness industry concern an expanding supply of and an insufficiently researched demand for wellness programmes. The quality dimension of wellness services is increasingly becoming the decisive competitive factor. For this reason quality management plays an important role. Market research shows that average three- to five-star hotels provide fairly comprehensive wellness facilities. Wellness hotels should therefore specialise in health information, individual care and a wide range of cultural and relaxation programmes. Although the same hotel can host cure and wellness guests at the same time, these two segments have to be considered separately when deciding on the marketing strategy. It is therefore assumed that wellness is pursued solely by ‘healthy’ people, the prime aim being prevention. ‘Normal cure’ guests aim to heal their illness.

Medical tourism and policy implications for health systems: a conceptual framework from a comparative study of Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia

2011-01-01

Nicola S. Pocock , Kai Hong Phua

Medical tourism is a growing phenomenon with policy implications for health systems, particularly of destination countries. Private actors and governments in Southeast Asia are promoting the medical tourist industry, but … Medical tourism is a growing phenomenon with policy implications for health systems, particularly of destination countries. Private actors and governments in Southeast Asia are promoting the medical tourist industry, but the potential impact on health systems, particularly in terms of equity in access and availability for local consumers, is unclear. This article presents a conceptual framework that outlines the policy implications of medical tourism's growth for health systems, drawing on the cases of Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, three regional hubs for medical tourism, via an extensive review of academic and grey literature. Variables for further analysis of the potential impact of medical tourism on health systems are also identified. The framework can provide a basis for empirical, in country studies weighing the benefits and disadvantages of medical tourism for health systems. The policy implications described are of particular relevance for policymakers and industry practitioners in other Southeast Asian countries with similar health systems where governments have expressed interest in facilitating the growth of the medical tourist industry. This article calls for a universal definition of medical tourism and medical tourists to be enunciated, as well as concerted data collection efforts, to be undertaken prior to any meaningful empirical analysis of medical tourism's impact on health systems.

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What is known about the effects of medical tourism in destination and departure countries? A scoping review

2010-01-01

Rory Johnston , Valorie A. Crooks , Jeremy Snyder +1 more

Medical tourism involves patients intentionally leaving their home country to access non-emergency health care services abroad. Growth in the popularity of this practice has resulted in a significant amount of … Medical tourism involves patients intentionally leaving their home country to access non-emergency health care services abroad. Growth in the popularity of this practice has resulted in a significant amount of attention being given to it from researchers, policy-makers, and the media. Yet, there has been little effort to systematically synthesize what is known about the effects of this phenomenon. This article presents the findings of a scoping review examining what is known about the effects of medical tourism in destination and departure countries. Drawing on academic articles, grey literature, and media sources extracted from18 databases, we follow a widely used scoping review protocol to synthesize what is known about the effects of medical tourism in destination and departure countries. The review design has three main stages: (1) identifying the question and relevant literature; (2) selecting the literature; and (3) charting, collating, and summarizing the data. The large majority of the 203 sources accepted into the review offer a perspective of medical tourism from the Global North, focusing on the flow of patients from high income nations to lower and middle income countries. This greatly shapes any discussion of the effects of medical tourism on destination and departure countries. Five interrelated themes that characterize existing discussion of the effects of this practice were extracted from the reviewed sources. These themes frame medical tourism as a: (1) user of public resources; (2) solution to health system problems; (3) revenue generating industry; (4) standard of care; and (5) source of inequity. It is observed that what is currently known about the effects of medical tourism is minimal, unreliable, geographically restricted and mostly based on speculation. Given its positive and negative effects on the health care systems of departure and destination countries, medical tourism is a highly significant and contested phenomenon. This is especially true given its potential to serve as a powerful force for the inequitable delivery of health care services globally. It is recommended that empirical evidence and other data associated with medical tourism be subjected to clear and coherent definitions, including reports focused on the flows of medical tourists and surgery success rates. Additional primary research on the effects of medical tourism is needed if the industry is to develop in a manner that is beneficial to citizens of both departure and destination countries.

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Trade in health services.

2002-01-01

Rupa Chanda

In light of the increasing globalization of the health sector, this article examines ways in which health services can be traded, using the mode-wise characterization of trade defined in the … In light of the increasing globalization of the health sector, this article examines ways in which health services can be traded, using the mode-wise characterization of trade defined in the General Agreement on Trade in Services. The trade modes include cross- border delivery of health services via physical and electronic means, and cross-border movement of consumers, professionals, and capital. An examination of the positive and negative implications of trade in health services for equity, efficiency, quality, and access to health care indicates that health services trade has brought mixed benefits and that there is a clear role for policy measures to mitigate the adverse consequences and facilitate the gains. Some policy measures and priority areas for action are outlined, including steps to address the "brain drain"; increasing investment in the health sector and prioritizing this investment better; and promoting linkages between private and public health care services to ensure equity. Data collection, measures, and studies on health services trade all need to be improved, to assess better the magnitude and potential implications of this trade. In this context, the potential costs and benefits of trade in health services are shaped by the underlying structural conditions and existing regulatory, policy, and infrastructure in the health sector. Thus, appropriate policies and safeguard measures are required to take advantage of globalization in health services.

What is known about the patient's experience of medical tourism? A scoping review

2010-09-08

Valorie A. Crooks , Paul Kingsbury , Jeremy Snyder +1 more

Medical tourism is understood as travel abroad with the intention of obtaining non-emergency medical services. This practice is the subject of increasing interest, but little is known about its scope. … Medical tourism is understood as travel abroad with the intention of obtaining non-emergency medical services. This practice is the subject of increasing interest, but little is known about its scope. A comprehensive scoping review of published academic articles, media sources, and grey literature reports was performed to answer the question: what is known about the patient's experience of medical tourism? The review was accomplished in three steps: (1) identifying the question and relevant literature; (2) selecting the literature; (3) charting, collating, and summarizing the information. Overall themes were identified from this process. 291 sources were identified for review from the databases searched, the majority of which were media pieces (n = 176). A further 57 sources were included for review after hand searching reference lists. Of the 348 sources that were gathered, 216 were ultimately included in this scoping review. Only a small minority of sources reported on empirical studies that involved the collection of primary data (n = 5). The four themes identified via the review were: (1) decision-making (e.g., push and pull factors that operate to shape patients' decisions); (2) motivations (e.g., procedure-, cost-, and travel-based factors motivating patients to seek care abroad); (3) risks (e.g., health and travel risks); and (4) first-hand accounts (e.g., patients' experiential accounts of having gone abroad for medical care). These themes represent the most discussed issues about the patient's experience of medical tourism in the English-language academic, media, and grey literatures. This review demonstrates the need for additional research on numerous issues, including: (1) understanding how multiple information sources are consulted and evaluated by patients before deciding upon medical tourism; (2) examining how patients understand the risks of care abroad; (3) gathering patients' prospective and retrospective accounts; and (4) the push and pull factors, as well as the motives of patients to participate in medical tourism. The findings from this scoping review and the knowledge gaps it uncovered also demonstrate that there is great potential for new contributions to our understanding of the patient's experience of medical tourism.

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Patients without Borders: The Emergence of Medical Tourism

2007-01-01

Annette B. Ramírez de Arellano

A growing number of patients from the United States and other developed countries are traveling abroad with the express purpose of obtaining health care, including elective surgery and long-term care. … A growing number of patients from the United States and other developed countries are traveling abroad with the express purpose of obtaining health care, including elective surgery and long-term care. This trend is not innocuous. It can lead developing countries to emphasize technology-intensive tertiary care for foreigners at the expense of basic health care for their citizens. Moreover, it can exacerbate the brain drain from the public to the private sector. The examples of Thailand and India suggest the distorting effects of this trend and raise questions of social equity in the distribution of scarce resources.

Preventable senility: a call for action against the vascular dementias

1992-09-01

P HACHINSKI

Wellness tourists: in search of transformation

2011-05-10

Cornelia Voigt , Graham Brown , Gary Howat

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the benefits sought by three different types of wellness tourists: beauty spa, lifestyle resort, and spiritual retreat visitors. Design/methodology/approach … Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the benefits sought by three different types of wellness tourists: beauty spa, lifestyle resort, and spiritual retreat visitors. Design/methodology/approach Based on the findings from 27 semi‐structured interviews with wellness tourists a benefits of wellness tourism scale (BWTS) was developed. It was used to measure 46 benefit items and was mailed to people included on the client/member lists of three Australian wellness tourism organisations. Findings In total, six benefit factors emerged from a principal axis factor analysis: transcendence; physical health and appearance; escape and relaxation; important others and novelty; re‐establish self‐esteem; and indulgence. A one‐way MANOVA, followed by a series of ANOVAS, revealed significant differences between the three types of tourists regarding the importance attributed to each of the six benefit factors. While all participants in the study sought transformation of the self, each identifiable group of tourists placed different emphasis on physical, psychological or spiritual transformations. Moreover, each group differed significantly in terms of demographic and travel behaviour characteristics. Originality/value The relevance of this paper lies in its adoption of a comprehensive approach to the investigation of the potential differences between three wellness tourist groups regarding the socio‐demographic profile, travel behaviour, and the benefits sought. Previous studies have focused on a single particular wellness tourist group. Furthermore, the BWTS may be applicable for use in future comparative studies of wellness tourist motivation.

International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes

1982-04-01

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Alfred Ernest Maylard, 1855–1947: Glasgow Surgeon Extraordinaire

1994-06-01

S. D. Slater

This account concerns Alfred Ernest Maylard, 1855 — 1947, a surgeon of exceptional ability and a man with extraordinary energy and drive. He was appointed to the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, … This account concerns Alfred Ernest Maylard, 1855 — 1947, a surgeon of exceptional ability and a man with extraordinary energy and drive. He was appointed to the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, when it opened in 1890 and made an outstanding clinical and academic contribution, particularly in abdominal surgery. His organisational talents were remarkable and manifest in his influence not just upon the hospital's developments but also upon Glasgow's medical life in general. In his spare time he was a keen mountaineer and was the driving force behind the formation of the Scottish Mountaineering Club in 1889 and its first secretary and later president. He was a prolific writer in all these fields, his eminence as scientific surgeon being recognised by election to the Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and his contribution to mountaineering by the vice-presidency of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

Past themes and future trends in medical tourism research: A co-word analysis

2017-10-23

Andrea de la Hoz-Correa , Francisco Muñoz‐Leiva , Márta Bakucz

International Tourism Highlights, 2019 Edition

2019-08-28

Yamilé Díaz Torres , Hernández Herrera , Mario Guerra Plasencia +3 more

The tourism sector is one of the main worldwide economic sectors with sustained growth, demonstrating its strength and resilience.In this sector, energy uses have increased to ensure quality, guest comfort, … The tourism sector is one of the main worldwide economic sectors with sustained growth, demonstrating its strength and resilience.In this sector, energy uses have increased to ensure quality, guest comfort, and rate level requirements being a building with great energy consumption.Several factors influence and can produce a significant variation in hotel consumption even in facilities located in the same region; the difference in a four-star hotel can reach 114 kWh/m 2 /year.This paper deals with related aspects such as hotel design, operation, type of service, occupancy patterns, operating point and efficiency of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system where 30 to 50% of the energy is consumed.Also, previous works based on the implementation of non-conventional energy resources such as photovoltaics projects to replace fuel dependence and high costs in electricity bills were reviewed.where there are savings of up to 30% in electricity and 60% in gas consumption.However, the initial capital investment and payback period are high and require new features to be considered in these facilities.

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Health and Wellness Tourism

2008-10-23

Melanie Smith , László Puczkó

Other BSBI Scottish data up to 2018

2023-01-01

Uknbn

Medical Tourism in Developing Countries

2007-01-01

Milica Zarkovic Bookman , Karla R. Bookman

What makes Bali a top wellness destination? The role of preferences and experience quality

2025-06-24

Tz-Li Wang , Muhammad Azizurrohman | International Journal of Spa and Wellness

The Physical Effects of Gigantomastia On the Mental Health of the Women in Nairobi County, Kenya

2025-06-21

| Journal of Sociology Psychology & Religious Studies

The Psychological Effects of Gigantomastia on the Mental Health of Women in Nairobi County, Kenya

2025-06-21

| Journal of Sociology Psychology & Religious Studies

CPD questions June 2025

2025-06-20

| BDJ Team

Award of distinction for dental hygienists opens for entries

2025-06-20

| BDJ Team

Türkiye de Dental Turizmin Dinamikleri: Motivasyon ve Memnuniyet Üzerine Bir Çalışma (The Dynamics of Dental Tourism in Türkiye: A Study on Motivation and Satisfaction)

2025-06-19

Erhan DAĞ , Zeynep Aydın Kılınç , Yaşar Demir +1 more | Journal of Tourism and Gastronomy Studies

Bu çalışma, Türkiye’de dental turizm kapsamında hizmet alan uluslararası hastaların memnuniyet düzeylerini analiz etmeyi ve memnuniyeti etkileyen başlıca faktörleri belirlemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma, 1 Ocak–31 Aralık 2023 tarihleri arasında İstanbul, Antalya, … Bu çalışma, Türkiye’de dental turizm kapsamında hizmet alan uluslararası hastaların memnuniyet düzeylerini analiz etmeyi ve memnuniyeti etkileyen başlıca faktörleri belirlemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma, 1 Ocak–31 Aralık 2023 tarihleri arasında İstanbul, Antalya, Samsun ve Trabzon’daki sağlık turizmi yetki belgesine sahip özel sağlık kurumlarında gerçekleştirilmiştir. Rastgele örnekleme yöntemiyle seçilen 528 uluslararası hastaya anket uygulanmış; veriler SPSS 26.0 programı ile analiz edilmiştir. Korelasyon ve çoklu doğrusal regresyon analizleri kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada memnuniyetin ortalama puanı 4,13±0,644 olarak saptanmıştır. Korelasyon analizi sonuçlarına göre, memnuniyet ile bilgi erişimi, hizmet kalitesi, kültürel benzerlik ve destek hizmetleri arasında pozitif yönlü, maliyet-tasarruf ile negatif yönlü bir ilişki olduğu belirlenmiştir (p<0.001). Çoklu regresyon analizi sonuçları, memnuniyetin bilgi erişimi, hizmet kalitesi, kültürel benzerlik ve destek hizmetlerinden pozitif yönlü, maliyet-tasarruf ile negatif yönlü etkilendiğini belirlenmiştir (p<0.001). Bağımsız değişkenler, memnuniyetteki değişimi %55 oranında açıklamaktadır (R2=0.550). Dental turizmde hasta memnuniyeti çok boyutlu bir yapı arz etmektedir. Uygun fiyat tek başına yeterli olmayıp, kaliteli hizmet sunumu, bilgilendirme ve destek hizmetlerinin bütüncül bir yaklaşımla ele alınması gerekmektedir. Elde edilen bulgular, politika yapıcılar ve hizmet sağlayıcılar için yol gösterici niteliktedir.

Dental Turizm Kapsamında Otellerde Açık Büfe Uygulamaları

2025-06-18

Ülker Çolakoğlu , Ceyda Işık | Özgür Yayınları eBooks

Dental turizm, diş implantı, protez ve periodontoloji gibi tedavi yöntemlerine yönelik yabancı hastaların seyahat etmesiyle önemli bir sektör haline gelmiştir. Bu süreçte, tedavi gören bireylerin iyileşme süreçlerini desteklemek amacıyla beslenmelerine … Dental turizm, diş implantı, protez ve periodontoloji gibi tedavi yöntemlerine yönelik yabancı hastaların seyahat etmesiyle önemli bir sektör haline gelmiştir. Bu süreçte, tedavi gören bireylerin iyileşme süreçlerini desteklemek amacıyla beslenmelerine özen göstermeleri gerektiği vurgulanmaktadır. Özellikle yaşlı bireylerde diş kaybı ve protez kullanımı, çiğneme ve yutma sorunlarına yol açarak beslenme yetersizliklerine neden olabilir. Bu da ağız sağlığının bozulmasına ve iyileşme sürecinin olumsuz etkilenmesine sebep olmaktadır Sağlıklı beslenme, hem tedavi süreci hem de genel ağız sağlığı için kritik öneme sahiptir.. Bu nedenle, dental turistlerin konaklama tesislerinde sunulan sabah, öğle ve akşam açık büfe yemeklerde ve içecek tüketimlerine özel diyet gereksinimlerine dikkat edilmesi önemlidir. Dental turizm kapsamında tedavi gören bireylerin iyileşme sürecini olumsuz etkilememek için yumuşak, az posalı, sindirimi kolay ve sulu yiyecekler, iyileşmeyi hızlandırabilir. Makro ve mikro besinlerin ağız sağlığı üzerindeki etkisi büyüktür. Özellikle, günde en az 5 porsiyon sebze ve meyve tüketimi, ağız sağlığını desteklerken, genel sağlık üzerinde de olumlu etkiler yaratmaktadır. Ayrıca, tatil döneminde de sağlıklı beslenme alışkanlıklarının sürdürülmesi adına, meyve suyu yerine smoothie gibi doğal alternatiflerin sunulması, yapay tatlandırıcılar yerine ise bal gibi doğal tatlandırıcıların tercih edilmesi önerilmektedir. Bu tür diyet değişiklikleri, dental turistlerin tedavi süreçlerini olumlu yönde etkileyerek, tedavi sonrası iyileşmelerini hızlandıracaktır. Sonuç olarak, dental turizme yönelik sağlık hizmetlerinin kalitesi, yalnızca tedavi yöntemleriyle sınırlı kalmamalı, aynı zamanda konaklama ve beslenme hizmetleriyle de desteklenmelidir.

Optimization and Evaluation of Community Smart Health Spaces: A Hybrid Model Based on a SWOT Analysis, the Four Orders of Design, AHP, and TOPSIS

2025-06-18

Qichao Song , Huiling Zhang | Buildings

The current design of community smart health spaces lacks a systematic theoretical framework. This study innovatively proposes a hybrid model combining a SWOT analysis, the “four orders of design”, AHP, … The current design of community smart health spaces lacks a systematic theoretical framework. This study innovatively proposes a hybrid model combining a SWOT analysis, the “four orders of design”, AHP, and TOPSIS to optimize the design of community smart health spaces systematically. First, a SWOT analysis is employed to assess the current state of community smart health spaces, and strategies are proposed based on this study. Subsequently, the “four orders of design” framework is integrated to clarify the design priorities for symbols, tangible objects, action events, and system environments. The AHP hierarchical analysis method is then used to quantify the weights of 16 design indicators, ensuring the objectivity and scientific rigor of decision-making. Finally, the TOPSIS method is introduced to validate the feasibility of the proposed solutions. The study found that (1) among the four categories of needs—behavioral experience, perceptual experience, hardware facilities, and software facilities—behavioral experience (weight 0.470) is the core indicator, with telemedicine (0.197) and autonomous driving (0.121) being the key functions. (2) The overall alignment of this design scheme is 0.844, with user satisfaction significantly superior to traditional schemes, proving the feasibility of the hybrid model. The research findings support decision-making in constructing smart health spaces in communities, thereby helping to upgrade smart health space services in communities.

Analysis of the Determinants of Individuals’ Decision-Making in Choosing Health Tourism Services in Thermal Spa Hotels

2025-06-18

Hicham MAHDJOUBA , Afaf KHOUILED | Management intercultural

This study aims to analyze the determinants influencing individuals’ decisions when selecting health tourism services in thermal spa hotels. The research examines the impact of personal factors (such as social, … This study aims to analyze the determinants influencing individuals’ decisions when selecting health tourism services in thermal spa hotels. The research examines the impact of personal factors (such as social, psychological, and health-related aspects) and marketing factors (such as service quality, physical evidence, promotion, and pricing). After evaluating the hypotheses results indicate that personal factors significantly affect decision-making. Specifically, psychological and social factors (such as family support, psychological comfort, and preference for traveling with friends) play a strong role in individuals’ choices. Additionally, health-related concerns strongly influence the decision to seek treatment in natural environments. Based on these findings, the study recommends enhancing the hospitality experience in thermal spa hotels, improving natural ambiance, and integrating these elements into marketing strategies.

Wellness Tourism in the Himalayas: A Structural Analysis of Motivation, Experience, and Satisfaction in Spa Resorts

2025-06-17

Parikshat Singh Manhas , Priyanka Sharma , Joana A. Quintela | Tourism and Hospitality

This study investigates the impact of wellness tourism motivation (WTM) on tourist satisfaction (TS) and tourist experience (TE), while also examining the mediating role of TE in the relationship between … This study investigates the impact of wellness tourism motivation (WTM) on tourist satisfaction (TS) and tourist experience (TE), while also examining the mediating role of TE in the relationship between WTM and TS in the context of luxury spa resorts situated in the Himalayan regions of India. Drawing on an extensive review of the literature, this study proposes a conceptual model that hypothesizes the influence of WTM on TS and TE, as well as the impact of TE on TS. Data were collected through 260 questionnaires distributed to tourists visiting prominent spa resorts to validate the proposed model empirically. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the relationships between the constructs. The results revealed that wellness tourism motivations have a positive impact on both TS and TE. Additionally, TE serves as a mediator, further enhancing the connection between WTM and TS. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on wellness tourism by providing empirical evidence on the unique dynamics of WTM, TE, and TS in Himalayan spa resorts, which cater to a distinct segment of wellness tourists. The results offer valuable insights for tourism operators and policymakers, enabling them to design tailored wellness experiences that enhance customer satisfaction and meet the specific needs of wellness-focused travelers. This research underscores the importance of prioritizing tourist experiences as a strategic tool for fostering satisfaction and loyalty in the luxury wellness tourism sector.

Culinary Medicine for Chronic Kidney Disease

2025-06-17

Rebecca Schlueter , Joanne Cooke , Karen L. Isaacson +1 more | Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology

Culinary medicine is an emerging, evidence-based discipline that integrates medical and nutritional care with practical culinary strategies to mitigate the risk and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Culinary Medicine, … Culinary medicine is an emerging, evidence-based discipline that integrates medical and nutritional care with practical culinary strategies to mitigate the risk and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Culinary Medicine, which falls under the broader movement of “Food is Medicine”, supports culturally relevant, person-centered health care goals. It addresses strategies to overcome the health risks of the standard American diet, high in animal protein, salt, sugar, and ultra-processed foods. Recent guidelines, including the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Nutrition in CKD 2020 and Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for Evaluation and Management of CKD (40), recommend adoption of plant-rich eating patterns, based on the large body of evidence highlighting benefits such as reduced net acid production, lower body weight, and improved blood pressure. Transition to a kidney-friendly eating pattern is often hindered by barriers, like time, budget, and culinary skill. This innovative field uses food as a preventive and therapeutic tool to overcome barriers to the actionable food choices needed for better health. This article aims to: (1) underscore the role of culinary medicine in lifestyle intervention to improve CKD outcomes; and (2) explore practical implementation of Culinary Medicine in CKD management to optimize patient well-being. While direct, large-scale clinical trials specifically on culinary medicine in CKD are still emerging, the synergy of nutritional evidence and experiential strategies points to its promise as a preventive and therapeutic tool for improving CKD outcomes. Increasing awareness of the existence and effectiveness of culinary medicine within the nephrology community can foster meaningful discussions about impactful lifestyle changes that influence patient outcomes.

Jakość powietrza w środowisku szpitalnym a zanieczyszczenia mikrobiologiczne

2025-06-17

KATARZYNA KAUCH | CIEPŁOWNICTWO OGRZEWNICTWO WENTYLACJA

SOME LITERATURE REVIEW ABOUT WELLNESS TOURISM

2025-06-17

Vu Huong Giang Tran Thu Phuong , Nguyen Thi Hoai An Ngo Thi Hoang Giang , Phan Thi Phuong | Tạp chí Khoa học Trường Đại học Mở Hà Nội

Wellness tourism has become a popular and developed form of tourism in some countries such as the USA, India, Korea, Japan, Singapore, China, Thailand, Indonesia, etc. Wellness tourism has become … Wellness tourism has become a popular and developed form of tourism in some countries such as the USA, India, Korea, Japan, Singapore, China, Thailand, Indonesia, etc. Wellness tourism has become a new and rapidly growing trend in the global tourism market, thus bringing new changes in customer base, services, and products provided. This is also an open topic for researchers related to tourism, wellness tourism, and wellness tourism development. The article focuses on clarifying some literature reviews related to wellness tourism, thereby finding research gaps for future studies in this field.

ANALISIS KESIAPAN TENAGA KESEHATAN DAN PELAKU PARIWISATA DALAM MENGHADAPI WISATAWAN HEALTH TOURISM

2025-06-17

Suriah Yusdalifa , Aeni Nahdiyati , Ida Leida Maria | Hasanuddin Journal of Public Health

Latar Belakang: Health tourism merupakan sektor strategis yang berpotensi meningkatkan perekonomian dan kualitas layanan kesehatan secara simultan. Khususnya di Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, integrasi pariwisata dan kesehatan dapat menjadi pendekatan inovatif … Latar Belakang: Health tourism merupakan sektor strategis yang berpotensi meningkatkan perekonomian dan kualitas layanan kesehatan secara simultan. Khususnya di Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, integrasi pariwisata dan kesehatan dapat menjadi pendekatan inovatif untuk memperkuat peran daerah sebagai pusat pertumbuhan kawasan timur Indonesia. Tujuan: Menganalisis persepsi dan kesiapan pelaku pariwisata dan tenaga kesehatan terhadap pengembangan health tourism di Sulawesi Selatan, khususnya Makassar. Metode: Pendekatan kuantitatif dengan metode survei. Jumlah responden sebanyak 105 orang yang terdiri dari berbagai latar belakang, baik dari sektor kesehatan maupun pariwisata. Data dikumpulkan melalui kuesioner yang mencakup aspek persepsi, pemahaman, dan kesiapan terhadap health tourism. Data dianalisis secara deskriptif kuantitatif untuk menilai tren dan pola jawaban. Hasil: Hasil menunjukkan bahwa sebagian besar responden (69,5%) memilih puskesmas sebagai layanan kesehatan utama, dan 75,2% telah memiliki asuransi kesehatan. Sebanyak 75,2% responden pernah mendengar tentang health tourism, dan 81,9% memahami pengertiannya dengan benar. Mayoritas responden menyatakan bahwa health tourism dapat meningkatkan kualitas hidup dan ekonomi masyarakat serta mendukung integrasi antara sektor kesehatan dan pariwisata. Sebanyak 96,2% menyatakan kesiapan jika Makassar dijadikan destinasi health tourism. Kesimpulan: Temuan ini menunjukkan potensi besar pengembangan health tourism di Makassar dengan dukungan dari masyarakat dan tenaga profesional.

MANAGEMENT OF RECREATIONAL SERVICES IN UKRAINE DURING WARTIME: THE ROLE OF STATE POLICY AND BEST PRACTICES FROM EUROPE

2025-06-17

Оleh Karyy , Yuliya Bondarenko , Ihor Kulyniak +1 more | THE ACTUAL PROBLEMS OF REGIONAL ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT

In this article, the role of state policy in Ukraine and the experience of European countries in managing recreational services during wartime are investigated. The purpose of the study is … In this article, the role of state policy in Ukraine and the experience of European countries in managing recreational services during wartime are investigated. The purpose of the study is defined as the analysis of specific features of recreational service management in Ukraine under martial law, the identification of the role of public policy in ensuring the comprehensive rehabilitation of individuals affected by the war, and the exploration of the potential for adapting European practices to develop practical management approaches. A comprehensive interdisciplinary methodology is applied, literature and regulatory frameworks are analyzed, a comparative approach is adopted, a systems perspective is employed, and a descriptive-analytical method is utilized to examine recreational service management in wartime Ukraine. The medical-biological, socio-cultural, and economic functions of recreational activities are assessed as essential stages in developing rehabilitation and social adaptation plans for individuals affected by the conflict. The role of public policy in facilitating physical, psychological, and social recovery, adaptation, and reintegration through the development of recreational services is substantiated. The need for improvements in the national recovery system is emphasized, particularly regarding integrated approaches, personalized support, and interagency coordination. Special attention is given to recreation as a critical but underdeveloped component of state policy for comprehensive recovery. A comparative analysis of the implementation of recreational functions in Ukraine and the EU is conducted. Recommendations are proposed to ensure comprehensive rehabilitation of individuals affected by the war, including the creation of conditions for health improvement, rest, and recovery; the implementation of effective psychological support programs; and the development and execution of state programs to support war-affected populations. The findings of this study are expected to be of practical value for public authorities, local governments, and professionals in the fields of tourism and recreation in developing strategies for managing recreational services during wartime and throughout the post-war recovery period.

“For Space” in Healthcare Co-Design

2025-06-16

Sara Donetto | Routledge eBooks

The «Active Parks – Locations of a Healthy Ukraine» system as a space for developing a health culture and adolescent socialization

2025-06-16

Євген Баженков , Andriy Rebryna | Problemi osvìti

The implementation of the «Active Parks – Locations of a Healthy Ukraine» project represents a significant direction of state policy in the fields of physical education, public health promotion, and … The implementation of the «Active Parks – Locations of a Healthy Ukraine» project represents a significant direction of state policy in the fields of physical education, public health promotion, and youth social development. An analysis of the project’s legal framework and content components has shown that the «Active Parks» system not only encourages physical activity among various age groups but also fulfills an important socio-educational function. This resource is especially relevant for adolescents, who are going through a challenging transitional life stage and require a safe, open, and inclusive space for self- expression, collaborative experience, and the strengthening of physical, mental, and social well-being. It has been established that through the integration of health- promoting, educational, recreational, and cultural components, the «Active Parks» system creates a favorable environment for fostering adolescents’ values toward health, teamwork skills, and social interaction. The potential of «Active Parks» as socialization spaces has been emphasized- places where adolescents can communicate informally, pursue their interests in sports, creative activities, and meaningful leisure. Addressing the needs and characteristics of this age group, ensuring infrastructure accessibility, engaging qualified professionals, and implementing innovative interaction formats significantly enhance the educational impact of the «Active Parks» initiative. To increase the effectiveness of the «Active Parks» system, it is advisable to integrate it into the formal education system by including thematic activities in physical education curricula; conducting physical lessons in parks as an alternative to school gyms; and using these locations for extracurricular events, flash mobs.

Abstract P4-06-12: Breast Cancer Hub (BCH) Case Study – Addressing Breast Cancer Challenges in Villages in India with Grassroots Sustainable Solution

2025-06-13

Ratna Basak , Sanjay Basak , Roshni Biswas +2 more | Clinical Cancer Research

Abstract Background and Challenges: The death rate to Breast Cancer is significantly higher in India due to taboo, ignorance, inaccessibility to healthcare services, proper diagnosis, and treatment management. The situation … Abstract Background and Challenges: The death rate to Breast Cancer is significantly higher in India due to taboo, ignorance, inaccessibility to healthcare services, proper diagnosis, and treatment management. The situation in the villages is grimmer. This populace is not only in financial constraints, struggling for daily food, with health taking a back seat, but due to geographical barriers, the hospitals equipped with cancer screening & treatment are in towns/cities, needing hours of travel for the villagers as they live in the remote far-flung areas, investing the full day to go back and forth, adding to their transport charges. It is hard for them to miss on their daily wage, and since a family member needs to accompany the suspicious case, the monetary loss adds up, eventually delaying or skipping treatment. Missions: Breast Cancer Hub (BCH), founded by Dr Lopamudra Das Roy, aims to bridge the healthcare gap between developed and developing countries by providing sustainable grassroots solutions with 100% Free services. Since its inception in 2017, BCH has improvised guidelines to meet community needs, considering cultural stigmas and socio-economic conditions. Breast Cancer in underserved areas: In deprived regions, accessing specialized cancer treatment is challenging. Mammogram and ultrasound screenings are rare in these areas, contributing to delayed or avoided treatments. To address this, BCH developed Breast Self-Exam (BSE) cards in 24 languages for Her and Him making it inclusive, targeting underprivileged and conservative communities. These cards, along with awareness campaigns, screening camps, and providing a holistic approach by Adopting Villages for door-to-door Cancer Screening, Treatment Aid, Counseling, Support, and Food, are part of BCH’s strategy to improve early detection and adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines. Case Study from one of the BCH adopted villages in India: Dipali Basak, a 54-year-old agricultural laborer from Huda Village, Nadia District, West Bengal, India, represents a typical case of the struggles faced by women in remote areas. With a family income of approximately $60 per month, accessing healthcare is a significant challenge. Dr Das Roy conducted a cancer awareness camp in Huda Village on August 9, 2022, where Dipali learned about BSE. On December 7, 2022, BCH team visited Dipali's home during door-to-door Cancer screening, providing BSE cards in local language and contact information. Healthcare Journey: In October 2023, Dipali discovered a lump while performing a BSE and reached out to a BCH field worker. Despite having a government-provided health card for underprivileged families, the process of getting proper medical care was arduous. The nearest primary health center lacked imaging facilities for cancer screening, requiring BCH team to take Dipali to various hospitals, involving multiple modes of transport (Toto, Auto, Bus, Train) and long travel times. At Krishnanagar Sadar District Hospital, Dipali received treatment, but with limited specialist availability and the need for private pathology tests due to inadequate hospital facilities. Dipali underwent surgery on January 17, 2024, at Krishnanagar Hospital. Post-surgery, BCH facilitated further testing and provided comprehensive support, including covering transport and remaining treatment costs, counseling, and follow-up care. Despite facing resistance from Dipali due to treatment side effects, BCH ensured she received ongoing chemotherapy and radiation. Broader Implications: Dipali's case highlights the systemic issues in breast cancer care in developing regions, where lack of awareness, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and financial constraints delay or prevent treatment. BCH’s unique trendsetting efforts underscore the need for revising the guidelines to address these challenges effectively, necessitating policy changes and targeted healthcare strategies to better serve vulnerable populations. Citation Format: Ratna Basak, Sima Basak, Rimpa Biswas, Sabarna Saraswati, Lopamudra Das Roy. Breast Cancer Hub (BCH) Case Study – Addressing Breast Cancer Challenges in Villages in India with Grassroots Sustainable Solution [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2024; 2024 Dec 10-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2025;31(12 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-06-12.

Factors Influencing the Intention of Tourists to Selecting Malaysia and Indonesia as Medical Tourism Destinations According to SDG3

2025-06-13

Anidah Aziz , Muhammad Abdullah , Mohd Sufian Ab Kadir +3 more | Journal of Lifestyle and SDGs Review

Objective: The study attempts to examine the behavioural intention of the medical tourist in choosing Malaysia and Indonesia as medical tourism destination by aligning with SDG3. Theoretical Framework: There are … Objective: The study attempts to examine the behavioural intention of the medical tourist in choosing Malaysia and Indonesia as medical tourism destination by aligning with SDG3. Theoretical Framework: There are three determinants (behavior intention, perceived quality, patient satisfaction and trust as mediator are included in the current study. Method: We plan to investigate the key determinants in of choosing Malaysia and Indonesia as destination for medical tourism. Results and Discussion: This study illustrates that all the variables are vital in influencing Malaysia and Indonesia as destination for medical tourism. Hence, all antecedent factors need to be taken into consideration which will influence the medical tourists from Malaysia and Indonesia perspective. Research Implications: Future research should focus on the comparative discussion for public hospitals and private hospitals in order to improve Malaysia’s and Indonesia’s performance in competing with other country as well as building trust among the medical tourists so that we (Malaysia and Indonesia) will be their first choice for medical tourism. Originality/Value: By understanding the relationships between behavioral intention, perceived quality, patient satisfaction and trust, the destination country would have a better idea how to and improve their marketing efforts in attracting as many medical tourists as possible.

Relationship between childhood socio-economic status and wellness tourism intention: a combined PLS-SEM and NCA methods

2025-06-13

Junxian Shen , Hongfeng Zhang , Cora Un In Wong +2 more | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

Opportunities for Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy as Innovative Practices within Sustainable Health Tourism Development in Croatia

2025-06-13

Aleksandar Racz , Andrea Armano , Vanja Vasiljev +2 more | Journal of Applied Health Sciences

With the Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Developmentby 2030 and other strategic planning documents,Croatia has committed itself to transforming its tourismindustry based on sustainability principles as a fundamentaldevelopment concept. In this … With the Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Developmentby 2030 and other strategic planning documents,Croatia has committed itself to transforming its tourismindustry based on sustainability principles as a fundamentaldevelopment concept. In this context, healthtourism development should be based on potentialsuch as natural resources, diverse natural wealth, ecologicalquality of the environment, and natural healingfactors. This opens room for expanding health tourismofferings, especially wellness tourism, by introducingthe practice known in Japan as Shinrin-yoku or “forestbathing” or “breathing in the atmosphere of the forest”with the dual aim of providing an eco-antidote to techboom burnout and inspiring residents to reconnectwith and protect the country’s forests.Forest bathing means spending time in nature, especiallyin areas with trees, as a sensory immersion forphysiological and psychological health. Forest bathingaims to live in the present moment as you immerseyour senses in the sights and sounds of a natural environment.Forest therapy is more healing-oriented thanforest bathing, as it aims to heal specific health issuesin individuals and can be structured by a forest therapyguide, like the role of a forest medicine practitioner. Foresttherapy is more purpose-driven than forest bathing,although both aim to improve health and well-being.The main components of forest therapy include walks,experiencing the forest with the five senses (sight, hearing,touch, smell, and taste), forest visits, forest meditation,Qi Gong, aromatherapy, herbal tea therapy, andcrafting with natural materials as part of art therapy.Several studies have confirmed the forest’s physiologicaland psychological effects on health. Physiologicaleffects include improvements in blood pressure, heartrate, and heart rate variability, cortisol levels, pain relief,and respiratory function. Psychologically, depression,anxiety, quality of life, mood, and cognitive functionimprove.The potential for developing and implementing forestbathing and forest therapy as innovative practices inthe context of sustainable health tourism in Croatia isconsiderable. With more than half of its territory coveredby forests, Croatia has a unique natural environmentthat can be utilized for the well-being of its inhabitantsand visitors. Integrating forest bathing and foresttherapy into the country’s health tourism offers severalopportunities and benefits. Introducing forest bathingand therapy as unique offerings can attract health-conscioustourists seeking alternative, holistic experiences. Croatia can market these practices as a specialty of itshealth tourism, attracting environmentally conscioustravelers. Croatia can boost its economy by integratingforest bathing and forest therapy into health tourism.These practices can create new employment opportunities,such as certified guides and therapists, and stimulatelocal businesses that cater to the needs of tourists.By promoting activities in the forest, Croatia canraise awareness of the importance of environmentalprotection. Participants in forest baths and therapieswill likely develop a deeper appreciation for nature anda sense of responsibility for preserving natural habitats.Investment in research and development relatedto forest bathing and treatment can lead to innovativeapproaches, tailored programs, and improved participantexperiences. Collaboration between academia,healthcare professionals, and the tourism sector candrive advancements in this field. Involving local communitiesin developing and implementing forest bathingand therapy initiatives can create a sense of prideand ownership. Community participation can enhancethe authenticity of these practices, making them moreappealing to tourists.

The Impact of Cultural and Geographical Factors on the Global Practice of Colorectal Surgery

2025-06-12

Maher A. Abbas | Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Calling for cross-disciplinary research on tourists with mental disorders: A neglected population requiring more scholarly attention

2025-06-12

Jun Wen , Danni Zheng , Fangli Hu +4 more | Tourism Management

The Barriers of Medical Tourism Hospital Development in Medan

2025-06-12

Marizka Jasmine , Ida Yustina , Zulfendri Zulfendri | Contagion Scientific Periodical Journal of Public Health and Coastal Health

<div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><p><em>Medan residents are known to prefer traveling to Malaysia and Singapore for medical treatment. This phenomenon leads to huge losses in regional and national revenues. … <div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><p><em>Medan residents are known to prefer traveling to Malaysia and Singapore for medical treatment. This phenomenon leads to huge losses in regional and national revenues. In response to this phenomenon, by 2021, the Medan City government has implemented the Medan medical tourism program, with the participation of twelve hospitals located in Medan to be prepared as medical tourism destinations, but until 2024, none of the Medan or North Sumatra residents have made use of this program. The objective of this study is to explore the barriers on the development of medical tourism hospitals in Medan. Using a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach, this research was conducted through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation from eight hospitals within the Medan medical tourism program. This study identified several key barriers: healthcare system issues, poor medical infrastructure, limited continuity of care, inadequate hospital promotion of Medan medical tourism program, lack of international accreditation, lack of ISO certification, unavailability of medical equipment, failure to meet national indicators of hospital quality, and unfriendliness of doctors and staff. The findings indicate that hospitals in Medan need significant improvements in various aspects to become competitive in the medical tourism market. Furthermore, to overcome these barriers, coordinated and sustained efforts from the hospitals, Medan City government, Medan medical tourism board and Medan tourism department are needed to transform hospitals into medical tourism destinations despite the gradual and lengthy process. </em></p><p><em> </em></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p><strong><em>Keywords: Barriers, Development, Hospitals, Medical Tourism</em></strong></p>

Risk factors in creative services (the analysis of interior design services)

2025-06-10

Katarzyna Merta-Korzniakow | Ekonomia/Acta Universitatis Wratislaviensis. Ekonomia

The purchase of services, particularly creative ones, is perceived as bearing a higher consumer risk than the purchase of goods. Creative services are characterised by a high degree of the … The purchase of services, particularly creative ones, is perceived as bearing a higher consumer risk than the purchase of goods. Creative services are characterised by a high degree of the service provider’s creativity and their central role in the creative process. This indicates the importance of deepening knowledge about the factors that constitute consumer risk concerning the service provider. The author of the article refers to this type of risk as a subjective risk. So far the phenomenon has not been acknowledged, so an attempt was made to explore and defi ne it. Accordingly, research was conducted among those who have used interior design services. It was a qualitative research based on the Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The problems and research questions that the article focuses on are: criteria for evaluating the service provider, their key competence, potential losses and concerns of service recipients related to the interior design process. The accumulated data made it possible to separate the perceived subjective risk, embodied in the person of the interior designer, from the subjective risk, related to the material output of the interior design service. The study confi rmed the existence of subjective risk which is associated—among other things—with the designer’s knowledge, their soft skills and the pivotal role the service provider plays in the creative process. The results of the study provided a basis for systematizing the subjective risk factors into two groups: soft and professional competence. Thereby, the research gap in the fi eld of subjective consumer risk was fi lled. The empirical part of the article was supplemented by the theoretical considerations, introducing the terms such as creative economy, creative services and the concept of consumer risk.

Vacant Seats in Nursing Programs: A Neglected Foe in Boosting the Registered Nurse (RN) Supply

2025-06-06

Maja Djukic | Policy Politics & Nursing Practice

Getting more than what you pay for? Managing complications of bariatric tourism at an academic center near the US-Mexico border

2025-06-05

Graham J. Spurzem , Patricia Ruiz-Cota , Antônio Márcio Souza Rocha +7 more | Surgical Endoscopy

Corridor care on the front line

2025-06-05

Ian Peate | British Journal of Nursing

Determinants and Outcome of Caesarean Section Deliveries in Kafr-Elzyat General Hospital, Gharbia Governorate

2025-06-03

Hind A. Bassyoni , Eman Z Younis , Ali Ali Elsherbiny +1 more | Journal of High Institute of Public Health

Global therapeutic mobilities and cancer: a scoping review

2025-06-01

Clémence Schantz , Sarah Boisson , Léa Prost-Lançon +4 more | BMJ Open

Introduction Research on therapeutic mobility is abundant but the field of cancer has not yet been investigated thoroughly. This scoping review aims to examine the existing evidence on global therapeutic … Introduction Research on therapeutic mobility is abundant but the field of cancer has not yet been investigated thoroughly. This scoping review aims to examine the existing evidence on global therapeutic mobility and cancer, providing a comprehensive overview of the subject. Methods We conducted a scoping review and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses methodological guidelines. We developed a comprehensive search strategy and discussed it with the research team. We searched for peer-reviewed papers on Medline, Embase, ERIC and American Psychological Association via the Dialogue interface and Google Scholar and CAIRN bibliographic database for peer-reviewed articles. We also included grey literature, such as unpublished work and relevant reports from Érudit. We considered studies that employed quantitative or qualitative methods. Results Among the 1615 references initially selected, 767 duplicates were excluded. Then, 849 studies were screened on title and abstract and 800 were excluded as they did not meet inclusion criteria. 49 studies were fully screened and 21 were excluded as they did not meet inclusion criteria based on full-text assessment. Ultimately, 28 references were included in the data synthesis. This scoping review has shown that publications on therapeutic mobilities have multiplied in recent years, with a turning point in 2019. A range of academic disciplines and research methodologies are currently employed to describe them. A significant proportion of fieldwork is concentrated in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Despite the heterogeneity of the approaches and fields, there are certain common features that emerge: first, the decision to migrate for healthcare is primarily made by the patient themselves and is perceived by them as being non-choice; second, the family plays a central role at all stages of the migration; and third, the migration has a catastrophic impact in terms of social and financial burden. Conclusion In conclusion, this scoping review highlights the underexplored relationship between global therapeutic mobility and cancer, emphasising the need for increased research efforts to understand the global dynamics of cancer care mobility.

POS1487-HPR BALANCING DISTANCE AND PROXIMITY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF NORWEGIAN PATIENTS WITH AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS' PERSPECTIVES ON AND EXPERIENCES WITH REMOTE MONITORING AND PATIENT-INITIATED CARE

2025-06-01

Christine Hillestad Hestevik , Cecilie Varsi , Nina Østerås +3 more | Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

O42 A comparative analysis of carbon footprints in three different endoscopy pathways: environmental health implications and opportunities for sustainable healthcare

2025-06-01

Gohar Jalayeri Nia , Frances Ward , Sheena Dungey +3 more | Oral Presentations

Advancing healthcare delivery: Embedding dyadic leadership throughout an academic medical centre

2025-06-01

Pradipta Komanduri , Jean S. Kutner | Management in healthcare.

Healthcare organisations face increasingly complex challenges, including rising patient acuity, workforce shortages, cost pressures, reimbursement constraints and uncertain legislation. To address these pressing issues and drive operational and financial improvements, … Healthcare organisations face increasingly complex challenges, including rising patient acuity, workforce shortages, cost pressures, reimbursement constraints and uncertain legislation. To address these pressing issues and drive operational and financial improvements, it is crucial to move beyond siloed thinking and embrace the power of dyadic leadership models. This paper aims to demonstrate the critical importance of clinical/operational dyadic partnerships in redesigning healthcare delivery and improving patient outcomes. By examining real-world examples focused on enhancing patient flow, efficiency, quality, safety and experience, the paper provides practical insights into building trust-based relationships, establishing effective governance models, clarifying roles and responsibilities, selecting accountable dyadic partners, creating and executing on shared goals, and developing essential leadership competencies. The paper will equip readers with methods for fostering successful dyadic leadership team building, enabling them to elevate healthcare delivery to new heights and enhance effectiveness as leaders. Specifically, this paper addresses the following: (1) cultivating trusting and collaborative relationships among interdisciplinary team members to leverage diverse perspectives in problem-solving and decision-making processes; (2) designing and implementing a comprehensive process for establishing effective dyadic partnerships and governance models in process design and improvement initiatives, ensuring inclusive stakeholder participation; (3) enhancing role clarity between dyadic partners, enabling them to work synergistically towards achieving optimal patient care outcomes; (4) developing strategies for assessing, selecting and holding dyadic partners accountable, facilitating a culture of shared responsibility and continuous improvement; and (5) identifying and fostering essential leadership competencies required in dyadic models, empowering healthcare professionals to drive transformative change within their organisations. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/