Perception of medical tourism image from the perspective of healthcare professionals: The case of Turkey

Abstract

The study aims to reveal Türkiye’s medical tourism destination image and its determinants from the perspective of healthcare professionals. The cross-sectional study population consists of healthcare professionals working in public hospitals in Türkiye (N=1.142.469). The research data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of two parts. The first part of the questionnaire consisted of statements aiming to reveal the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. The “medical tourism image scale” was used in the second part of the questionnaire. The study data were collected online between July 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. Of the participants, 64.9% were female, 58.1% were married, 37.7% were between the ages of 18-29, and 31.7% were physicians. 76.7% of the participants chose their profession willingly, 80.2% were dissatisfied with their lives in general, 23.9% were working in the Black Sea Region, and 56.9% stated that economic instability was the biggest obstacle to medical tourism. As a result of the study, the total score on the medical tourism scale was 94.270±12.751. According to the results of the correlation analysis, there was a relationship between service quality, safety and security, cost, tourism opportunities, hygiene, and accessibility (p<0.001). Türkiye’s medical tourism destination image is high, according to healthcare professionals. However, healthcare professionals think that economic instability is the biggest obstacle to medical tourism. The most important conclusion of the study is that service quality, safety and security, cost, tourism opportunities, hygiene level, and accessibility are essential factors in forming a medical tourism image.