Medical Travel and Public Health: Definitions, Frameworks, and Future Research

Abstract

The medical travel market industry is growing as millions of people are crossing borders to seek healthcare services every year. Yet there is not sufficient empirical research around medical travel. People typically call all medical travelers “medical tourists,” a practice that is not helpful. Therefore, from a public health perspective, it is important to understand the definition of medical travel, the motivations behind travel, and how to overcome public health challenges that may occur as a result of this practice. Since medical travel is an experience that does not finish with obtaining health services, it is important to gather medical travelers' profiles before and after they access healthcare services. This will allow healthcare professionals to follow medical travelers' outcomes and assess their health-related quality of life. A robust evidence base will promote better future decisions related to medical travel. Creating an evidence base for medical travel will support upstream policies and strategies aimed at regulating the medical travel market.