Can inbound and domestic medical tourism improve your bottom line? Identifying the potential of a U.S. tourism market

In large part due to current economic conditions and the political uncertainties of healthcare reform legislation, hospitals need to identify new sources of revenue. Two potentially untapped sources are inbound (international) and domestic (within the United States) medical tourists. This case study...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of healthcare management 2014-01, Vol.59 (1), p.49-63
Main Authors: Fottler, Myron D, Malvey, Donna, Asi, Yara, Kirchner, Sarah, Warren, Natalia A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Analysis
Case studies
Child
Child, Preschool
Competition
Data Mining
Economic conditions
Electronic Health Records - statistics & numerical data
Employees
Employers
Female
Forecasts and trends
Health administration
Health care expenditures
Health care industry
Health care policy
Health care reform
Health Care Reform - economics
Health services
Health services administration
Hospitals, Urban - economics
Hospitals, Urban - organization & administration
Hospitals, Urban - trends
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Internationality
Male
Management
Market potential
Market segments
Marketing
Marketing of Health Services - economics
Marketing of Health Services - methods
Medical tourism
Medical Tourism - economics
Medical Tourism - trends
Methods
Middle Aged
Organizational Case Studies
Patients
Southeastern United States
Studies
Surgery
Travel
United States
Young Adult
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Summary:In large part due to current economic conditions and the political uncertainties of healthcare reform legislation, hospitals need to identify new sources of revenue. Two potentially untapped sources are inbound (international) and domestic (within the United States) medical tourists. This case study uses data from a large, urban healthcare system in the southeastern United States to quantify its potential market opportunities for medical tourism. The data were mined from electronic health records, and descriptive frequency analysis was used to provide a preliminary market assessment. This approach permits healthcare systems to move beyond anecdotal information and assess the relative market potential of their particular geographic area and the diagnostic services they offer for attracting inbound and domestic medical tourists. Implications for healthcare executives and guidance on how they can focus marketing efforts are discussed.
ISSN:1096-9012
1944-7396
DOI:10.1097/00115514-201401000-00009