Facts and cautions regarding international medical ventures.
10.5124/jkma.2016.59.3.160
- Author:
Jae Wook CHOI
1
Author Information
1. Research Institute for Healthcare Policy, Korean Medical Association, Seoul, Korea. shine@korea.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Editorial
- Keywords:
Foreign patients;
Medical expansion;
Medical tourism;
International medical venture;
Global health
- MeSH:
Humans;
Marketing;
Medical Tourism;
Risk Management
- From:Journal of the Korean Medical Association
2016;59(3):160-162
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
The "Act on Overseas Medical Expansion and Foreign Patient Attraction Support"(legislation no. 13599), due to be enacted by the National Assembly during the general meeting on June 23, 2016, will give institutionalized support and fully recognize the efforts for medical tourism-that is, the overseas expansion of medicine and ingress of foreign patients. However, before jumping into medical tourism, the failures of previous ventures in this field must be analyzed. The absence of specific goals and strategies, insufficient planning and analysis of feasibility, the lack of international experience, and glocalization and marketing failures of previous projects are all areas in which improvement is advised. Further, overseas medical expansion is only possible when various considerations are examined, such as the influence on the domestic medical market, as well as plans for securing the management capacity to ensure economic feasibility and risk management of medical institutions.
