Analysis of Medical Tourists’ Attitude about Provision Manner of Medical Care at Children’s Medical Center of Tehran in 2014-2015

Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini (M.D., Ph.D.)¹ Khalil Ali Mohammadzadeh (M.D., Ph.D.)² Fatemeh Zahraei Bakhsh (M.S.)³ Mohammad Hossein Nabian (MD)⁴

1) Department of Health Services Management, College of Management and Social Science, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2) Assistant Professor of IAU, Tehran North Branch Manager of Department of Health Services Management of IAU, Tehran Medical Branch
3) Corresponding auther: Ms of Health Services Management, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
4) Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics Surgery Tehran university of Medical Science Children ´Medical Center

Publication : 8th International Congress on Hospital Management With Focus on innovations in Hospital(ihmc8.ir)
Abstract :
Background and aim: Medical tourism development is among important factors in industrial growth and income for a country. In order to develop medical tourism, the quality of medical care and facilities in medical centers needs to be improved to international standards. This investigation was aimed to identify and evaluate the attitude of medical tourists referring to the Children’s Medical Center hospital of Tehran, Iran. Materials & Methods: This is a descriptive-practical study. Used parameters to evaluate medical tourists’ attitudes towards medical care were recognized by literature review. The sample population included all patients referred to Children’s Medical Center in 2014-2015, irrespective of their disease or therapeutic ward. Data collection was accomplished by a questionnaire including 24 questions which was applied by the third researcher and scored using Likert scale. The questionnaire was calculated through Cronbach Alpha coefficient and was estimated to be 0/87. The data were expressed as descriptive statistics and analyzed using SPSS software, version 21. Results: The findings revealed that 56.67% and 65% of medical tourists rated the therapeautic care and facilities as “good”, respectively, and 50% rated the clarity of medical costs as “very poor”. Furthermore, the way of payment was considered weak as 48.33% of them rated currency exchange capability as “weak”. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggests that the center possess satisfying high-quality equipments and facilities and therapeautic care , but fails to clarify therapeutic costs, and lacks enough currency exchange counters, which needs consideration and planning . Keywords: medical tourism, patient satisfaction and hospital, children hospital
Keywords : medical tourism patient satisfaction and hospital children hospital