Medical Tourism in Developing Countries

Index ● 237liberalization in 129, 130–31literacy rate in 102–3market structures in 75medical technology in 78medical tourism incentives in 137medical tourism marketingstrategies 62, 63, 180medical tourism revenue in 3medical tourism tie-ins and 92medical visa of 81patient choice of 57pharmaceutical standards in 146physician licensing in 150price of services in 50private foreign investment in 84–85public sector in 71–72, 73public/private cooperation in 82R&D in 110specializations in 59state’s role in medical tourism 70t, 71telemedicine in 78tourist appeal of 134traditional healing in 133transportation systems in 117–18U.S. doctors from 105–6visa restrictions in 158water access in 115See also Apollo Hospitalsinfectious disease, controlling spreadof 171information technologygrowth of 78in India 25infrastructurebasic public health and 173–74developed 95, 112–19indicators of, by country 114tinternational lending and 87–88physical 208n74public health 170insurancecoverage in destinationcountries 171–72dental 43–44effect of medical tourism on pricingof 164– 65limiting liability of 157as obstacle to medical tourism151–56, 215n59for plastic surgery 44as push factor in medicaltourism 51–52in source countries 152–56private 152–55public 152U.S. population without 51–52,217n85insurance companies, on medicaltourism bandwagon 162insurance portability 151, 153encouraging 155–56impacts of 165implications of 153–55intellectual property, protectionof 122, 123tInter-American Development Bank,investment by 88international economycapital flows and 83cooperation and collaborationwith 83–84International Monetary Fund, privateinvestment by 87International Organization forStandardization 146international standards 145–47,212n11, 212n12,213n18as obstacle to medical tourism145–51Internetadvertising on 61role of 116users of 60invasive procedures 43– 44investment, foreign. See foreigninvestmentIran, tourism in 93