Impact of medical travel on imports and exports of medical services
Impact of medical travel on imports and exports of medical services
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DOI：
10.1016/j.healthpol.2010.06.006
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发表时间：
2010-12-01
期刊：
影响因子：
3.3
通讯作者：
Garman, Andrew N.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Johnson, Tricia J.;Garman, Andrew N.
目的：医疗旅行是指为寻求更容易获得、质量更高和/或费用更低的医疗服务而到个人所在地区或国家以外的地方旅行。本文估计了在美国寻求医疗服务的外国居民的流入和在国外寻求医疗服务的美国居民的流出。方法：利用美国经济分析局、美国国际贸易管理局的数据和对国内医疗保健提供者的调查，我们估计了进出美国的医疗旅行者数量的下限和上限以及这些服务的价值。结果：我们估计，2007年有43,000至103,000名外国人到美国接受医疗服务，50,000至121,000名美国居民到国外接受医疗服务。尽管因医疗原因离开美国的医疗旅行者数量净减少，但医疗旅行的贸易顺差可能高达10亿美元。结论：虽然离开美国接受医疗服务的患者可能存在轻微的净流出，但对美国出口的影响仍然是积极的，因为每个来美国的患者的平均支出更高，需要新机制来定期跟踪医疗服务的流动性和贸易平衡。2010爱思唯尔爱尔兰有限公司版权所有。
Objectives: Medical travel is travel outside of an individual's home region or country in pursuit of medical care that is more accessible, of higher quality and/or of lower cost. This paper estimates the inflows of foreign residents seeking medical care in the U.S. and outflows of U.S. residents seeking care abroad.Methods: Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. International Trade Administration and a survey of domestic health care providers, we estimate the lower and upper bounds for the number of medical travelers into and out of the U.S. and the value of these services.Results: We estimate that between 43,000 and 103,000 foreigners came into the U.S. for medical care, and between 50,000 and 121,000 U.S. residents traveled abroad for care in 2007. Despite a net loss in the number of medical travelers flowing out of the U.S. for care, the trade surplus for medical travel could be as high as $1 billion.Conclusions: While a slight net outflow of patients leaving the U.S. for medical care may exist, the resulting impact on exports is still positive for the U.S., due to a higher average spending per patient coming to the U.S. New mechanisms are needed to track the balance of mobility and trade for medical care on a regular basis. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.