What is it about?
During a doctoral seminar of Professor Nikhilesh Dholakia at the University of Rhode Island (URI), Ralph Perfetto (who brought in strong health information services experience prior to his doctoral work) started examining the growing trend of medical tourism, especially to Asian destinations. This paper resulted from net-based ethnographic work on online medical tourism related forums.
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Why is it important?
While medical tourism has gained a bit more acceptance since this paper appeared, the key conflicts and tensions evident in this paper remain. Medicine and health services remain regulated at national (rather than global) levels..yet, global options for health delivery are expanding. The world still needs to sort out how to allow the benefits of globalization to flow to patients, without jeopardizing quality (or taking undue risks). Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) adds new significance to this.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Exploring the cultural contradictions of medical tourism, Consumption Markets & Culture, November 2010, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/10253866.2010.502417.
You can read the full text:
Resources
Dr. Ralph Perfetto at Eliza Corp
After coauthoring this article and completing a doctoral degree at the University of Rhode Island (URI), Ralph Perfetto continues to work with the challenges of delivering better health services... now as a senior executive at Eliza corporation.
Bumrungrad Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
This is considered by many as the top medical tourism destination in the world, especially for those who cannot take the view "money no object".
Asia Medical Tourism Destinations: India, Thailand, Singapore
Medical tourism to Asia is rising, and the service mix of the providers in the Asian countries is continually improving.
Offshoring, Outsourcing Abroad: Other writings
Other works by Nikhilesh Dholakia and his research collaborators, especially the works of Nir Kshetri, have gone into more details of offshoring of services. Medical tourism indeed can considered a special type of offshoring of services.
Offshoring, Outsourcing Abroad: Other writings - Nir Kshetri links
Works by Nikhilesh Dholakia and his research collaborators, and especially in a very significant way the works of Nir Kshetri, have gone into more details of offshoring of services. Medical tourism indeed can considered a special type of offshoring of services.
Contributors
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