Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Health Information Management, Iranian Center of Excellence in Health Management AND School of Management and Medical Informatics Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz AND Medical Informatics Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Medical Library and Information Sciences, Department of Medical Library and Information Sciences, Health Information Management Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3 Lecturer, Medical Library and Information Sciences, Department of Medical Library and Information Sciences, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 Assistant Professor, Health Information Management, Medical Informatics Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Hospital websites can be appropriate and effective tools for attracting medical tourism. However, many structural and content criteria should be considered in designing hospital websites. The aim of this study was the evaluation of websites of hospitals affiliated to medical universities in Tehran, Iran, based on information necessary for attracting medical tourists. Methods: This study was carried out using applied survey method. The study population consisted of all hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran, (n = 50). The data collection tool was the MDS-Hospital website questionnaire, the validity and reliability of which were approved in previous literature (α = 0.90). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage). Results: The average score of the structural dimension of hospital websites based on the questionnaire was 64.5%. However, the average score of the contextual dimension of hospital websites was less than 50%. The websites of hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Iran University of Medical Sciences had a more favorable score in terms of structural dimension and contextual dimension, respectively. Conclusion: The websites of the studied hospitals had an acceptable status in terms of the structural dimension. However, they did not obtain favorable scores on the contextual dimension. Thus, these hospitals must redesign their websites in terms of the contextual dimension in order to be more successful in attracting medical tourism.
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