International Journal of Travel Medicine & Global Health Infection Diseases Section Original Article The Factors in Development of Health Tourism in Iran Yadollah Mahdavi1, Sheida Mardani2, Zahra Hashemidehaghi*3, Nooshin Mardani4 Abstract Introduction: Health tourism refers to any type of travelling seeking 1. MA Business Management, PNU Interna- improvement of health condition. It can be treated like a national strat- tional Units, Tehran, Iran. egy toward increase of national income. The present study is an at- 2 Department of Health Services Manage- tempt to survey the factors in development of health tourism in Iran. ment, Islamic Azad University, Science and Methods: The study is an analytical research and data used in the study Research Branch, Tehran, Iran. 3. Eye Research center, Tehran University of were gleaned through library resources and academic site web. In ad- Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. dition consultation with experts was also added. Using snowball sam- 4. Young Researchers Club and Elite, Islamic pling 61 of the authorities of health tourism answered the question- Azad University, Takestan Branch, Takestan, naire. Finally the results were analyzed using Friedman test. Iran. Results: The findings showed that 3 main factors in development of health tourism of Iran are health tourism branding, correlation between * Corresponding Author different sections, and centralized services. Zahra Hashemidehaghi, Eye Research center, Conclusion: To have all its potentials of nurse health care realized, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Teh- and to meet the goals of Iran 1404 outlook program, a comprehensive ran, Iran. and executive planning must be adopted and other requirement to Email: [email protected] Tel: +989122832919 emerge as a leading country in the region regarding the industry must be provided. Submission Date:2013.November.26 Keywords: Travel, Medical tourism, Health tourism, Iran. Accepted Date: 2013.December.15 Introduction and guaranteed medical services from another Health tourism means a planned travel to other country bring stability and security for that coun- place for preserving and regaining physical or try. mental health[1] . There are different types of Health tourism market has be recognized as one health tourism including medical tourism, recov- of the profitable and competitive industries ery tourism and preventive tourism[2]. around the world; it is a new field of tourism. At Traveling for treatment and recovery are the two macro level states are interested to enjoy the eco- main reasons of medical tourism and in many nomic benefits of the industry. This has triggered cases coincident with spending leisure time de- an intense competition among the Asian develop- pending on medical situation[3, 4]. Given the fact ing countries to attract more tourists[7]. On the that financial pressure and problems of the mod- other hand, health tourism is more flourishing in ern life are the main reasons of the high stress peo- the developing countries; which is rooted in glob- ple feel, health tourism is one the choices for those alization trend and economic open doors policy in who long more health and welfare and to achieve the field of health services[8]. Health tourism, if it leave their stressful daily life now and then[5]. dealt with as the first priority, can prevent the mi- Development health tourism can be a part of na- gration of money and work force from Iran. tional strategy to make an optimum use of na- Recent years have been featured with increase in tional capacities for higher earning and gain high number of travelers to abroad seeking medical at- national security[6]. National security of the tention[9]. This increase in number of medical countries nowadays is divided into two parts; soft tourists has to do with factors such as high cost of and hard security. Medical transaction and de- health services in the industrial world, easier in- pendency of people and nations to receive reliable ternational traveling facilities, exchange rate in International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, Volume 1, Issue 3, Autumn 2013; 113-118 All rights reserved for official publication of Baqiyatallah university of medical sciences© Mahdavi Y.et al, The Factors in Development of Health Tourism in Iran the global economy, fast medical technology ad- Taking into consideration the advantages of Iran vances, improvement of health care services in in health tourism such as low cost, high quality of many countries, access to the Internet, and emer- services, experienced physicians, plenty of natu- gence of companies that act as intermediate be- ral attractions, the country is planning to use this tween patients and hospital services in the potential[21]. The Ministry of Health, Treatment, world[10, 11]. With enforcement of international and Medical Education had enacted a law which standards and laws in different parts of the world, stipulates conditions and requirements of medical people now look for the best quality treatment centers that accept health tourists in 6 paragraphs with more competitive charges[12, 13]. under the titles of general condition, human force, The results of researches have shown that increase medical equipment, geographical condition, extra in medical costs in the US and long waiting lists conditions and the codes of medical centers’ web- in the UK and Canada have lured many of patients sites[22]. in the North American and European countries to The ministry is also committed to provide the fa- seek medical attention in the developing southeast cilities for playing an effective role in the world Asian countries[14, 15]. There is no accurate in- market and turn the country into a center of med- formation about the number of these travelers. ical services in the region. As a part of the strate- The main problem in determining the exact num- gic and commercial documents of the county, the ber of these patients is about the accurate defini- ministry is required to provide the facilities for in- tion of tourist. In fact, the reported number in- troducing capacities, marketing, and medical cludes foreign residents in the target country, training, production of medical equipment and business travelers, and other tourists who may products and medicines. The goal of the policies need medical attention during their stay. Also the is to cover 30% of foreign exchange requirement statistics includes those who use health services of health and treatment sector from the source ex- such as yoga, massage, and so on. It is clear, how- porting such services by the end of fourth devel- ever, that a great number of patients are part of opment program[23]. As the 17th largest country medical tourism process[16]. As estimated by and with population of 70 millions, Iran is home McKinsey, the income from health tourism in the to one of the most ancient civilizations. Regarding world market hit 100 billion dollars by the end of natural attractions, weather, and historical sites, 2012[7]. the country is ranked in 10th, 5th and 4th place in A study in India emphasized that growth of health the world ranking[24] tourism in India reached 2.2 billion dollars in According to WTO, value of health service busi- 2012 and commitment of the government has trig- ness in 2001 was 1.4trillion dollars (25% of world gered private sectors’ investment. So that, there is business) and this rate is predicted to reach 50% a private fund in the US that has invested 40 mil- of the world business volume. Although services lion dollars in health care services in India in co- sectors constitutes 46% of GDP, there is still a operation with Indian investors[17]. Taking into need for programming toward increase of the account high return/investment rate in the indus- share of health tourism in the service market[24]. try, many countries have initiated plans to develop Concerning the health services provider centers, this type of tourism[18]. In the 1400 outlook, Iran the clinics affiliated with the ministry of health has planned to become one of the main targets of make the main contribution. That is the ministry health tourism in the world. The objective of the as the representative of the public sector is the plan is to prevent national resources from draining main providers of health services in the country. out and to create a earning source for the Less than a half of the private hospitals with mod- county[19]. A study in Thailand showed that the ern technologies are in Tehran followed by Shi- Thai government is planning and codifying strat- raz, Mashhad, and Tabriz and these cities are the egies to develop national medical infrastructures, main destinations of medical travels. However, in hospitals, technology, medical equipment, and 2008, the ministry, via the circulation of the codes human forces along with running campaign for at- and requirements of providers health services to tracting health tourists[20]. tourists, asked and required the medical centers to provide the required conditions[23]. 114 International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, Volume 1, Issue 3, Autumn 2013 Mahdavi Y. et al, The Factors in Development of Health Tourism in Iran Proper policy making in compliance with the pol- realization of health tourism goals has been as- icies of tourism organizations toward attracting signed to the ministry of health, while the critics foreign patients through vast advertisement and believe that what makes the neighbor countries investment in different sections of research and more successful in the field was their integrated education, development of clinics, checkup clin- management system. Emirate is one Iran’s neigh- ics and equipping medical centers in vicinity of bor and in spite of higher costs, along with Ma- hot springs with modern and traditional equip- laysia, India, Singapore, Dubai, Jordan, Turkey, ment and investment in public relation fields can Azerbaijan and some of Central Asia and Cau- prevent many Iranian to leave the country to seek cuses and White Russia are some of competitors medical attention and surely prevent migration of of Iran in health tourism[24].