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

Laura Hopkins, Ronald Labonte, Vivien Runnels, Corinne Packer

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    254 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    One manifestation of globalization is medical tourism. As its implications remain largely unknown, we reviewed claimed benefits and risks. Driven by high health-care costs, long waiting periods, or lack of access to new therapies in developed countries, most medical tourists (largely from the United States, Canada, and Western Europe) seek care in Asia and Latin America. Although individual patient risks may be offset by credentialing and sophistication in (some) destination country facilities, lack of benefits to poorer citizens in developing countries offering medical tourism remains a generic equity issue. Data collection, measures, and studies of medical tourism all need to be greatly improved if countries are to assess better both the magnitude and potential health implications of this trade.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)185-198
    Number of pages14
    JournalJournal of Public Health Policy
    Volume31
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jul 2010

    Keywords

    • Cross-border health care
    • Global health equity
    • Medical tourism

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