A Dynamic Model of Medical Tourism: an Analysis of Patient Narratives

Medical tourism has become one of the most rapidly growing business in the world. Although this phenomenon is not new, medical travel has existed for centuries, what is new is that patients from developed countries are seeking treatment in developing countries. To shed more light on this phenomenon, this study bases the conclusion on a comprehensive analysis of international patients who traveled to receive invasive treatment at the largest hospital in Thailand, Bumrungrad International. The findings reveal a clear underlying pattern of push and pull factors. While acute dissatisfaction with deteriorating conditions of health care, such as high cost of treatment, long waiting time, and low service quality, in developed countries is initially driving patients to seek alternative treatment abroad, sustainable medical tourism is, in deed, based on pull factors in which foreign hospitals provide a highly satisfying positive experience through organizational and service innovations and emotional quality in patient- doctor and patient-nurse relationships.