Medical Tourism in Iran, Reevaluation on the New Trends: A Narrative Review
Abstract
Background: This narrative review aimed to reevaluate the medical tourism sector in Iran to reveal the new trends and activities in order to know the current actual share of Iran in the competitive market of global medical tourism.
Methods: A holistic approach was adopted to analyze the information collected through a system of investigation that comprised the available secondary data, besides the information and statistical data about the associated organizations to this sector in Iran.
Results: Iran’s medical tourism sector is consistent with the new trends in global market, which is mainly bordered countries-based, cultural-oriented, and diasporic type of travelling.
Conclusion: It would be more realistic in the contemporary situation to focus the promotions on the border countries, and design the policy, and implementation in accordance with their cultural and social preferences. Activities in both levels of governmental and micro-level planning are demanded, under the cover of a comprehensive monitoring system. This review will benefit researchers exploring the updated evaluation of Iran’s medical tourism; also, it provides helpful insights to authorities in both governmental and private sector.
1. Connell J (2013). Contemporary medical tourism: Conceptualisation, culture and commodification. Tourism Management, 34: 1-13.
2. IMTJ (2018). Medical Travel And Tourism, Global Market Report, First Edition. International medical travel journal. Available from: https://www.imtj.com/
3. Fetscherin M, Stephano R-M (2016). The medical tourism index: Scale development and validation. Tourism Management, 52:539-56.
4. Moghimehfar F, Nasr-Esfahani MH (2011). Decisive factors in medical tourism destination choice: A case study of Isfahan, Iran and fertility treatments. Tourism Management, 32(6):1431-4.
5. Rokni L, Pourahmad A, Langroudi MHM, Mahmoudi MR, Heidarzadeh N (2013). Appraisal the potential of central Iran, in the context of health tourism. Iran J Public Health, 42(3):272-79.
6. Khodadadi M. A new dawn? (2016). The Iran nuclear deal and the future of the Iranian tourism industry. Tourism Management Perspectives, 18:6-9.
7. Khodadadi M (2016). Challenges and opportunities for tourism development in Iran: Perspectives of Iranian tourism suppliers. Tourism Management Perspectives, 19:90-2.
8. Tourani S, Jamaledin Tabibi S, Tofighi, Sh, Shaarbafchi Zadeh N (2010). Medical tourism in Iran: analysis of opportunities and challenges with MADM approach. Res J Biol Sci, 5(3):251-7.
9. Izadi M, Ayoobian A, Nasiri T, Joneidi N, Fazel M, Hosseinpourfard M (2012). Situation of health tourism in Iran opportunity or threat. J Mil Med, 14(2):69-75.
10. IMTJ (2017). Iran's Medical Tourism Targets Are Unrealistic. https://www.imtj.com/news/irans-medical-tourism-targets-are-unrealistic/
11. Azimi R, Mahmoudi G, Esmaeili HA (2018). Ranking Factors Affecting the Attraction of Foreign Medical Tourists in Hospitals Affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Based on Marketing Mix Model. Iran J Public Health, 47(10):1593-98.
12. Abadi F, Sahebi I, Arab A, Alavi A, Karachi H (2018). Application of best-worst method in evaluation of medical tourism development strategy. Decision Science Letters, 7(1):77-86.
13. Iranmanesh M, Moghavvemi S, Zailani S, Hyun SS (2018). The role of trust and religious commitment in Islamic medical tourism. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 23(3):245-59.
14. Momeni K, Janati A, Imani A, Khodayari-Zarnaq R (2018). Barriers to the development of medical tourism in East Azerbaijan province, Iran: A qualitative study. Tourism Management, 69:307-16.
15. Momeni K, Janati A, Imani A, Khodayari-Zarnaq R, Arab-Zozani M (2014). An analysis of competitive situation medical tourism industry: a case study in northwest Iran. Bali Med J, 6(2):279-88.
16. Samadbeik M, Asadi H, Mohseni M, Takbiri A, Moosavi A, Garavand A (2017). Designing a medical tourism website: A qualitative study. Iran J Public Health, 46(2):249-57.
17. Saki K, Varzi AM, Momeni K, et al (2017). Tourists' satisfaction of hospital services in Iran: A case study of Lorestan province. Shiraz E Medical Journal, 18(6):e13797.
18. Danial Z, Abbaspour A, Rahimian H, Shaarbafchi Zadeh N, Niknami M (2017). Training for medical tourism in Iran. International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, 5(3):77-83.
19. Yazdi MRT, Barazandeh H (2016). Identifying and ranking health tourism development barriers in Iran using fuzzy VIKOR method. Asian Social Science, 12(5):54-63.
20. Motaghi S (2016). Effective Factors on Development of Health Tourism (Case Study: Fars Province). Research Journal of Applied Sciences, 11: 1275-1279.
21. Rezaee R, Mohammadzadeh M (2016). Effective factors in expansion of medical tourism in Iran. Med J Islam Repub Iran, 30:409.
22. Shabaninejad H, Gorgi H, Ziaee Niri A (2016). Ranking the effective factors in attracting health tourists in Tehran: Application of multi-criteria decision-making model. Journal of Biology and Today's World, 5(11):203-8.
23. Shahijan MK, Rezaei S, Preece CN, Ismail WKW (2015). International medical travelers’ behavioral intention: An empirical study in Iran. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 32(5):475-502.
24. Mahdavi Y, Mardani S, Hashemidehaghi Z, Mardani N (2013). The factors in development of health tourism in Iran. International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, 1(2):113-8.
25. Izadi M, Saadat SH, Ayoubian A, Hashemi Z, Karbasi MR (2013). Health tourism in Iran; identifying obstacles for development of this Industry. International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, 1(2):89-94.
26. Jabbari A, Zarchi MKR, Kavosi Z, Shafaghat T, Keshtkaran A (2013). The marketing mix and development of medical tourism in Shiraz. Mater Sociomed, 25(1):32-6.
27. Azadi F, Maleki M, Tabibi SJ, Azmal M (2012). A medical tourist perception of Iranian hospital quality: Limited employee foreign language skills negatively impact communication. International Journal of Hospital Research, 1(2):85-90.
28. Jabbari A, Delgoshaei B, Mardani R, Tabibi SJ (2012). Medical tourism in Iran: Issues and challenges. J Educ Health Promot, 1: 39.
29. Inhorn MC (2006). Making Muslim babies: IVF and gamete donation in Sunni versus Shi’a Islam. Culture, Cult Med Psychiatry, 30(4):427-50.
30. Jabbari A, Ferdosi M, Keyvanara M, Agharahimi Z (2013). Stakeholders’ analysis of the medical tourism industry: development strategies in Isfahan. J Educ Health Promot, 2: 44.
31. IMTJ (2017). 45 More Medical Tourism Hospitals for Iran. https://irantourismnews.com/45-more-medical-international-tourism-hospitals-in-iran/
32. Ayoubian A (2015). Health Tourism in Iran. In: Current Issues and Emerging Trends in Medical Tourism. Eds, Cooper M, IGI Global; 2015.
33. IMTJ (2017). Record Health Tourism Numbers For Iran. https://www.imtj.com/news/record-health-tourism-numbers-iran/
34. IMTJ (2018). Iran Potential Destination for Pakistan Medical Travellers. https://www.imtj.com/news/iran-potential-destination-pakistan-medical-travellers/
35. IMTJ (2018). Over 300,000’ Went To Iran In Past Year. https://www.imtj.com/news/over-300000-went-to-iran-in-past-year/
36. Department of Health Tourism. Available at: http://mohht.ir/index.aspx?siteid=430 2019.
37. IMTJ (2018). Over 300,000 Medical Travellers To Iran. https://www.imtj.com/news/over-300000-medical-travellers-to-iran/
38. IMTJ (2019). Uulicensed Brokers Are Iran’s Biggest Issue. https://www.imtj.com/news/unlicenced-brokers-are-irans-biggest-issue/
39. IMTJ (2016). Iran Takes First Steps Into Medical Tourism. https://www.imtj.com/news/iran-takes-first-steps-medical-tourism/
40. IMTJ (2017). Private Sector Must Lead Medical Tourism. https://www.imtj.com/news/private-sector-must-lead-medical-tourism/
41. Baum T, O'Gorman KD (2010). Iran or Persia: what's in a name, the decline and fall of a tourism industry? In: Tourism and Political Change, Goodfellow, Oxford.
42. Butler R, O'Gorman KD, Prentice R (2012). Destination appraisal for European cultural tourism to Iran. International Journal of Tourism Research, 14(4):323-38.
43. Jalilvand MR, Samiei N, Dini B, Manzari PY (2012). Examining the structural relationships of electronic word of mouth, destination image, tourist attitude toward destination and travel intention: An integrated approach. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 1(1-2):134-43.
44. IMTJ (2019). Legal Challenge for Medical Tourism Agencies in Iran. https://www.imtj.com/news/legal-challenge-medical-tourism-agencies-iran/
45. Geva I, (2018). Building international brand. In proceeding book. Medical Korea, from challenge to chance in global healthcare. The 9th global healthcare & medical tourism conference. 9-11 May. Seoul, South Korea. 76-94.
46. Glinos IA, Baeten R, Helble M, Maarse H (2016). A typology of cross-border patient mobility. Health Place, 16(6):1145-55.
47. Song YJ (2009). The South Korean health care system. JMAJ, 52(3):206-9.
48. Alizadeh S, Chavan M (2016). Cultural competence dimensions and outcomes: a systematic review of the literature. Health Soc Care Community, 24(6):e117-e30.
49. Jagyasi P (2008). Defining medical tourism. Another approach. Medical Tourism Magazine, 6:9-11.
50. Ormond M (2012). Medical tourism, medical exile: Responding to the cross-border pursuit of healthcare in Malaysia. In: Real Tourism, Eds, Claudio Minca, Tim Oakes, Routledge, pp.: 157-75.
2. IMTJ (2018). Medical Travel And Tourism, Global Market Report, First Edition. International medical travel journal. Available from: https://www.imtj.com/
3. Fetscherin M, Stephano R-M (2016). The medical tourism index: Scale development and validation. Tourism Management, 52:539-56.
4. Moghimehfar F, Nasr-Esfahani MH (2011). Decisive factors in medical tourism destination choice: A case study of Isfahan, Iran and fertility treatments. Tourism Management, 32(6):1431-4.
5. Rokni L, Pourahmad A, Langroudi MHM, Mahmoudi MR, Heidarzadeh N (2013). Appraisal the potential of central Iran, in the context of health tourism. Iran J Public Health, 42(3):272-79.
6. Khodadadi M. A new dawn? (2016). The Iran nuclear deal and the future of the Iranian tourism industry. Tourism Management Perspectives, 18:6-9.
7. Khodadadi M (2016). Challenges and opportunities for tourism development in Iran: Perspectives of Iranian tourism suppliers. Tourism Management Perspectives, 19:90-2.
8. Tourani S, Jamaledin Tabibi S, Tofighi, Sh, Shaarbafchi Zadeh N (2010). Medical tourism in Iran: analysis of opportunities and challenges with MADM approach. Res J Biol Sci, 5(3):251-7.
9. Izadi M, Ayoobian A, Nasiri T, Joneidi N, Fazel M, Hosseinpourfard M (2012). Situation of health tourism in Iran opportunity or threat. J Mil Med, 14(2):69-75.
10. IMTJ (2017). Iran's Medical Tourism Targets Are Unrealistic. https://www.imtj.com/news/irans-medical-tourism-targets-are-unrealistic/
11. Azimi R, Mahmoudi G, Esmaeili HA (2018). Ranking Factors Affecting the Attraction of Foreign Medical Tourists in Hospitals Affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Based on Marketing Mix Model. Iran J Public Health, 47(10):1593-98.
12. Abadi F, Sahebi I, Arab A, Alavi A, Karachi H (2018). Application of best-worst method in evaluation of medical tourism development strategy. Decision Science Letters, 7(1):77-86.
13. Iranmanesh M, Moghavvemi S, Zailani S, Hyun SS (2018). The role of trust and religious commitment in Islamic medical tourism. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 23(3):245-59.
14. Momeni K, Janati A, Imani A, Khodayari-Zarnaq R (2018). Barriers to the development of medical tourism in East Azerbaijan province, Iran: A qualitative study. Tourism Management, 69:307-16.
15. Momeni K, Janati A, Imani A, Khodayari-Zarnaq R, Arab-Zozani M (2014). An analysis of competitive situation medical tourism industry: a case study in northwest Iran. Bali Med J, 6(2):279-88.
16. Samadbeik M, Asadi H, Mohseni M, Takbiri A, Moosavi A, Garavand A (2017). Designing a medical tourism website: A qualitative study. Iran J Public Health, 46(2):249-57.
17. Saki K, Varzi AM, Momeni K, et al (2017). Tourists' satisfaction of hospital services in Iran: A case study of Lorestan province. Shiraz E Medical Journal, 18(6):e13797.
18. Danial Z, Abbaspour A, Rahimian H, Shaarbafchi Zadeh N, Niknami M (2017). Training for medical tourism in Iran. International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, 5(3):77-83.
19. Yazdi MRT, Barazandeh H (2016). Identifying and ranking health tourism development barriers in Iran using fuzzy VIKOR method. Asian Social Science, 12(5):54-63.
20. Motaghi S (2016). Effective Factors on Development of Health Tourism (Case Study: Fars Province). Research Journal of Applied Sciences, 11: 1275-1279.
21. Rezaee R, Mohammadzadeh M (2016). Effective factors in expansion of medical tourism in Iran. Med J Islam Repub Iran, 30:409.
22. Shabaninejad H, Gorgi H, Ziaee Niri A (2016). Ranking the effective factors in attracting health tourists in Tehran: Application of multi-criteria decision-making model. Journal of Biology and Today's World, 5(11):203-8.
23. Shahijan MK, Rezaei S, Preece CN, Ismail WKW (2015). International medical travelers’ behavioral intention: An empirical study in Iran. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 32(5):475-502.
24. Mahdavi Y, Mardani S, Hashemidehaghi Z, Mardani N (2013). The factors in development of health tourism in Iran. International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, 1(2):113-8.
25. Izadi M, Saadat SH, Ayoubian A, Hashemi Z, Karbasi MR (2013). Health tourism in Iran; identifying obstacles for development of this Industry. International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, 1(2):89-94.
26. Jabbari A, Zarchi MKR, Kavosi Z, Shafaghat T, Keshtkaran A (2013). The marketing mix and development of medical tourism in Shiraz. Mater Sociomed, 25(1):32-6.
27. Azadi F, Maleki M, Tabibi SJ, Azmal M (2012). A medical tourist perception of Iranian hospital quality: Limited employee foreign language skills negatively impact communication. International Journal of Hospital Research, 1(2):85-90.
28. Jabbari A, Delgoshaei B, Mardani R, Tabibi SJ (2012). Medical tourism in Iran: Issues and challenges. J Educ Health Promot, 1: 39.
29. Inhorn MC (2006). Making Muslim babies: IVF and gamete donation in Sunni versus Shi’a Islam. Culture, Cult Med Psychiatry, 30(4):427-50.
30. Jabbari A, Ferdosi M, Keyvanara M, Agharahimi Z (2013). Stakeholders’ analysis of the medical tourism industry: development strategies in Isfahan. J Educ Health Promot, 2: 44.
31. IMTJ (2017). 45 More Medical Tourism Hospitals for Iran. https://irantourismnews.com/45-more-medical-international-tourism-hospitals-in-iran/
32. Ayoubian A (2015). Health Tourism in Iran. In: Current Issues and Emerging Trends in Medical Tourism. Eds, Cooper M, IGI Global; 2015.
33. IMTJ (2017). Record Health Tourism Numbers For Iran. https://www.imtj.com/news/record-health-tourism-numbers-iran/
34. IMTJ (2018). Iran Potential Destination for Pakistan Medical Travellers. https://www.imtj.com/news/iran-potential-destination-pakistan-medical-travellers/
35. IMTJ (2018). Over 300,000’ Went To Iran In Past Year. https://www.imtj.com/news/over-300000-went-to-iran-in-past-year/
36. Department of Health Tourism. Available at: http://mohht.ir/index.aspx?siteid=430 2019.
37. IMTJ (2018). Over 300,000 Medical Travellers To Iran. https://www.imtj.com/news/over-300000-medical-travellers-to-iran/
38. IMTJ (2019). Uulicensed Brokers Are Iran’s Biggest Issue. https://www.imtj.com/news/unlicenced-brokers-are-irans-biggest-issue/
39. IMTJ (2016). Iran Takes First Steps Into Medical Tourism. https://www.imtj.com/news/iran-takes-first-steps-medical-tourism/
40. IMTJ (2017). Private Sector Must Lead Medical Tourism. https://www.imtj.com/news/private-sector-must-lead-medical-tourism/
41. Baum T, O'Gorman KD (2010). Iran or Persia: what's in a name, the decline and fall of a tourism industry? In: Tourism and Political Change, Goodfellow, Oxford.
42. Butler R, O'Gorman KD, Prentice R (2012). Destination appraisal for European cultural tourism to Iran. International Journal of Tourism Research, 14(4):323-38.
43. Jalilvand MR, Samiei N, Dini B, Manzari PY (2012). Examining the structural relationships of electronic word of mouth, destination image, tourist attitude toward destination and travel intention: An integrated approach. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 1(1-2):134-43.
44. IMTJ (2019). Legal Challenge for Medical Tourism Agencies in Iran. https://www.imtj.com/news/legal-challenge-medical-tourism-agencies-iran/
45. Geva I, (2018). Building international brand. In proceeding book. Medical Korea, from challenge to chance in global healthcare. The 9th global healthcare & medical tourism conference. 9-11 May. Seoul, South Korea. 76-94.
46. Glinos IA, Baeten R, Helble M, Maarse H (2016). A typology of cross-border patient mobility. Health Place, 16(6):1145-55.
47. Song YJ (2009). The South Korean health care system. JMAJ, 52(3):206-9.
48. Alizadeh S, Chavan M (2016). Cultural competence dimensions and outcomes: a systematic review of the literature. Health Soc Care Community, 24(6):e117-e30.
49. Jagyasi P (2008). Defining medical tourism. Another approach. Medical Tourism Magazine, 6:9-11.
50. Ormond M (2012). Medical tourism, medical exile: Responding to the cross-border pursuit of healthcare in Malaysia. In: Real Tourism, Eds, Claudio Minca, Tim Oakes, Routledge, pp.: 157-75.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 48 No 7 (2019) | |
| Section | Review Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v48i7.2941 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Medical tourism Medical travel Health tourism Global trends Iran | ||
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How to Cite
1.
ROKNI L, PARK S-H. Medical Tourism in Iran, Reevaluation on the New Trends: A Narrative Review. Iran J Public Health. 2019;48(7):1191-1202.
