PHM-Exch> Medical tourism today: What is the state of existing knowledge?

[Claudio Schuftan]

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From: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) <ruglucia at paho.org>
crossposted from: EQUIDAD at listserv.paho.org


 *Medical tourism today: What is the state of existing knowledge?

*

Laura Hopkins a, Ronald Labonté b, Vivien Runnels b and Corinne Packer b

A School of Public Health, Health Sciences Building, University of
Saskatchewan, Canada

B Globalization and Health Equity, Institute of Population Health,
University of Ottawa, Canada


*Journal of Public Health Policy (2010) 31, 185–198.
doi:10.1057/jphp.2010.10

*

Abstract at: http://bit.ly/aVNyMT



“……One manifestation of globalization is medical tourism. As its
implications remain largely unknown, we reviewed claimed benefits and risks.
Driven by high health-care costs, long waiting periods, or lack of access to
new therapies in developed countries, most medical tourists (largely from
the United States, Canada, and Western Europe) seek care in Asia and Latin
America.



Although individual patient risks may be offset by credentialing and
sophistication in (some) destination country facilities, lack of benefits to
poorer citizens in developing countries offering medical tourism remains a
generic equity issue. Data collection, measures, and studies of medical
tourism all need to be greatly improved if countries are to assess better
both the magnitude and potential health implications of this trade……..”
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