Why do medical tourists travel to where they do? The role of networks in determining medical travel
Why do medical tourists travel to where they do? The role of networks in determining medical travel
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DOI：
10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.05.016
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发表时间：
2015-01-01
影响因子：
5.4
通讯作者：
Horsfall, D.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Hanefeld, J.;Lunt, N.;Horsfall, D.
关于医疗旅游的证据，包括病人的动机，正在增加。现有的研究集中在确定不同类型治疗的推拉因素，例如美容或减肥手术，或群体，如侨民患者返回家中接受治疗。较少关注个人为何前往特定地点或提供者，以及如何做出这一决定。该文件重点讨论了网络的作用，网络的定义是个人提供者、病人和促进者之间的正式和非正式联系，以解释病人旅行的原因和地点。调查结果是基于最近完成的一项为期两年的研究项目，该项目研究了医疗旅游对英国NHS的影响。研究包括对77名归国医疗游客和60多名管理人员、医疗旅游促进者、临床医生和医疗旅游提供者进行深入访谈，以了解医疗旅游行业。采访于2011年至2012年间进行，并进行记录和转录，或通过笔记记录。作者对访谈进行了主题分析，以确定患者的治疗途径，以及临床医生和促进者之间的专业联系，以了解治疗目的地的选择。结果强调，在一个大样本的患者旅行的各种条件，从牙科治疗，美容和减肥手术，通过专科护理的网络的作用是至关重要的，以了解选择的治疗，提供者和目的地。虽然距离、费用、专业知识和治疗的可获得性都是影响患者决定旅行的因素，但目的地和提供者的选择主要是非正式网络的结果，包括网络论坛、个人建议和支持团体。在英国临床医生或促进者转介的患者中，这些患者遵循非正式网络。总之，通过关注患者和提供者的网络来调查医疗旅游，开辟了医疗旅游的新概念，通过将行业调查与患者动机相结合来加深对旅行模式的理解。(C)2014爱思唯尔有限公司版权所有。
Evidence on medical tourism, including patient motivation, is increasing. Existing studies have focused on identifying push and pull factors across different types of treatment, for example cosmetic or bariatric surgery, or on groups, such as diaspora patients returning 'home for treatment. Less attention has been on why individuals travel to specific locations or providers and on how this decision is made. The paper focused on the role of networks, defined as linkages - formal and informal - between individual providers, patients and facilitators to explain why and where patients travel. Findings are based on a recently completed, two year research project, which examined the effects of medical tourism on the UK NHS. Research included in-depth interviews with 77 returning medical tourists and over sixty managers, medical travel facilitators, clinicians and providers of medical tourism in recipient countries to understand the medical tourism industry. Interviews were conducted between 2011 and 2012, recorded and transcribed, or documented through note taking. Authors undertook a thematic analysis of interviews to identify treatment pathways by patients, and professional linkages between clinicians and facilitators to understand choice of treatment destination. The results highlight that across a large sample of patients travelling for a variety of conditions from dental treatment, cosmetic and bariatric surgery, through to specialist care the role Of networks is critical to understand choice of treatment, provider and destination. While distance, costs, expertise and availability of treatment all were factors influencing patients' decision to travel, choice of destination and provider was largely the result of informal networks, including web fora, personal recommendations and support groups. Where patients were referred by UK clinicians or facilitators these followed informal networks. In conclusion, investigating medical travel through focus on networks of patients and providers opens up novel conception of medical tourism, deepening understanding of patterns of travel by combining investigation of industry with patient motivation. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.