COOPERATION OF INBOUND AND OUTBOUND MEDICAL TOURISM COMPANIES: A REVIEW ARTICLE

Abstract

Abstract

Medical tourism refers to travel abroad to obtain medical services. Medical tourism plays an important role in the future of medical and tourism industries throughout the world, due to the development of healthcare technologies, facilities, and some global changes. Right now, medical tourists or international patients use medical tourism agents and facilitators to find reliable providers and have trouble-free travel arrangements. Medical tourism facilitators can positively influence patients’ health-seeking behaviors by advocating for patient choice, counseling, and offering support to the patient and his or her family members. One of the most outstanding facilitators of medical tourism is medical tourism companies. Depending on the type of activity, some of them refer patients to a foreign country (outbound medical tourism), some refer patients from a foreign country (inbound medical tourism), some refer patients from a city to another city in a country (intrabound medical tourism), and some are both. Medical tourism companies play a substantial role as moderator between the potential clients in a home country and medical services in destination country. The aim of this article was to review the different roles and positions of medical tourism companies. Then, the benefits of international cooperation, such as reducing marketing costs and providing appropriate medical services, are reviewed.