Journal of Healthcare Management - January/February 2014 - (Page 64)

Journal of H ealt H care M anage Ment 59:1 J anuary /f ebruary 2014 medical tourist segment and have, at one point or another, created strategic initiatives to support both inbound and domestic medical tourism. As a practitioner, I have had the privilege of experiencing all forms of medical tourism described in this article, including helping to grow a successful international center for inbound medical patients in a world-class academic medical center, managing hospitals in foreign countries that provide less costly care for American patients unable or unwilling to pay for their domestic insurance copays, and overseeing a hospital in the southern United States that serves the snowbird population from Canada and the northern U.S. states. On the basis of my experience, I concur with Fottler et al.'s conclusion that these markets represent potentially significant revenue streams. In this study, the authors looked at a comprehensive data set to determine the utilization of healthcare services for a large urban healthcare system. While it is true that geographical, environmental, and individual facility (e.g., brand, reputation) factors attract medical tourists to healthcare organizations, all administrators should study their hospital admissions to determine origination patterns. Understanding current patient demographics and reviewing information from local convention and visitors bureaus may help organizations discover an untapped market for their hospital. In addition to the external marketing plan the authors describe, organizations should review internal programs to determine if changes are warranted in areas such as translation services that cover patient education. Nutritional needs and diets may also require review to ensure alignment with the patient's country of origin. Finally, hospital staff may require culture-specific training to understand patients' traditions and customs. In summary, healthcare administrators should recognize the potential that inbound and domestic medical tourism offers. While understanding why medical tourists visit certain hospitals is important, knowing the key satisfiers that grow future volume is essential. Experience suggests that facilities that formalize strategies with specific goals and established resources for inbound and domestic medical tourism outperform those facilities with unorganized approaches for this market. 64

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Journal of Healthcare Management - January/February 2014

Journal of Healthcare Management - January/February 2014
Contents
Interview With Kenneth R. White, PhD, FACHE, Associate Dean for Strategic Partnerships and Innovation and the University of Virginia Medical Center Professor of Nursing, University of Virginia School of Nursing
Team-Based Care at Mayo Clinic: A Model for ACOs
The Management Springboard: Eight Ways to Launch Your Career as a Healthcare Leader
The Role of a Public–Private Partnership: Translating Science to Improve Cancer Care in the Community Donna M. O’Brien and Arnold D. Kaluzny
The Value of Patients’ Handwritten Comments on HCAHPS Surveys John W. Huppertz and Robert Smith
Can Inbound and Domestic Medical Tourism Improve Your Bottom Line? Identifying the Potential of a U.S. Tourism Market
Success Factors for Strategic Change Initiatives: A Qualitative Study of Healthcare Administrators’ Perspectives

Journal of Healthcare Management - January/February 2014