Medical Tourism: Establishing a Sustainable Medical Facility

Abstract

Imposing the principles of sustainable development on medical tourism is vital to maintaining the three pillars of a strong nation, namely, the environment, the economy, and the local community. The three research objectives of this thesis are: 1) to determine the primary factors that motivate foreign patients to travel abroad for medical services; 2) to define the role that stakeholders play for developing the medical tourism sector; and 3) to develop an implementable framework for establishing a sustainable medical facility. These objectives help lay the foundations for a medical tourism facility that would respond well to the future demands of international patients, and would remain competitive with other medical facilities in the global market while also improving local quality-of-life and remaining within ecological constraints. Therefore, this research adopts a case study methodology to examine a framework developed through the literature review to determine how it fits in reality. In addition, this research provides a starting point to define further the primary roles of the medical tourism network for developing the medical tourism sector.