Document Type : Original Article(s)
Authors
1 Professor, Higher Education Administration, School of Management and Economics, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Health Services Management, School of Management and Economics, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
3 MSc Student, Health Services Management, School of Management and Economics, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
4 Lecturer, Medical Records, School of Management and Medical Information, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: Medical tourism marketing is currently known as a competitive and profitable industry throughout the world. It is considered as a modern field of developed tourism. Appropriate provision of information would increase the awareness of medical tourists about the capabilities of health services. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of information mechanisms on attracting medical tourists in selected hospitals of Tehran, Iran.Methods: In a descriptive, cross-sectional study in 2011, over 195 directors, administrators, matrons, quality promotion authorities, supervisors, and head nurses of 8 hospitals in Tehran were included. A valid and reliable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88) 2-part questionnaire was designed to collect data. Data was analyzed using inferential and descriptive statistics in SPSS.Results: There was not a significant relation between information mechanisms and medical tourist attraction (P > 0.05). Among the variables of information mechanisms, only media advertising was significantly related with attracting medical tourists (P = 0.05). However, other variables including brochures, manuals, TV programs, electronic methods, and organizations responsible for tourism had no effects on attracting medical tourists.Conclusion: Since media advertising was the only effective factor in attracting medical tourists, it seems that international advertisements about the potentials of Iranian hospitals would help in attracting more medical tourists.Keywords: Travel Medicine; Medical Tourism; Information Science.
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