Motivation and Decision on Medical Tourism Service in Thailand

1. The 14th International Conference on Business Innovation
and Technology Management
May 16-18, 2014, Phuket, Thailand
International Society for
Business Innovation &
Technology Management
Motivation and Decision on Medical
Tourism Service in Thailand
Natworadee Kanittinsuttitong (natworadee@gmail.com)
College of Innovation Management
Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin, Thailand
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2. Research Question
Summary Results
Motivation
Theoretical Background
Theoretical Framework
Methodology and Data
Empirical Results
Discussion and Conclusion
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3. In order to gain the competitive advantages and compete
in a global market, this research is to determine the
motivations and the factors that affect the decide on
service of a medical tourism in Thailand ?
Medical tourism is the situation that the travelers who travel to foreign
countries to get medical service or healthcare and traveling together [1]
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4. The result shown that there are two different groups of medical tourist,
medical focused tourist and tourism focused tourist.
1. Medical focused tourists : Come to the country with the major purpose of
having necessary medical treatment, cosmetic surgery and others optimum
choice of treatment such sex-transplant, then taking their time on vacation.
Therefore, they focus mainly on factors associated with medical treatment and
service such as cost, quality and reputation of hospital and physician.
2 Tourism focused tourists : Come for tourism and mostly having their health
check, dental care and wellness treatment. This kind of tourist emphasize on
those factors associated with tourism service such as attractive destination,
the convenience of hotel and travel, entertainment and leisure place.
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5. •The medical tourism market in 2009 was approximately 35,000 million USD.
•Thailand's on the top ranking of countries that have been popular over the world
•In 2012, more than 3 million foreigners came to receive medical services in hospital and other
healthcare facilities ,which generated approximately 70,000 million baht to the nation. [3]
•Not only Thailand that focus on the medical business but India, Singapore and Malaysia and
many countries around the world also jump into this battle.
•Moreover, Thailand must be prepared for the AEC in 2015. with the market side over 580
million people which worth over 1-5 trillion USD
•Therefore, it is necessary to know the motivations and factors that influence customers on
making decision for medical tourism service in Thailand in order to gain more competitive
advantage and also continue to be leader in medical tourism of the world.
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6. Concept of medical tourism was formed by three main theories;
I. PUSH- PULL FACTORS IN TOURISM
Factors that affect the rise of tourism consists of
two main factors [8]
1. Push factors : Good Economy, High Cost, Health
Regulation, Long Waiting-time, Lack of Confidence.
2. Pull factors : Low Cost, Country/Physician Image
& Reputation, Beautiful Landscaped, Great Care,
Low-Regulation, Variety of Health Services.
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Push
Factors
Pull Factors

7. II. NATIONAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
• Factor Condition: beautiful landscapes, warm climate, low
cost of living, politics calm, less restrictive health law,
social and cultural services, kindness.
• Demand Condition : Medical need & Tourism need
• Related and supporting Industries: tour agency, hotel,
airline, transportation, entertainment business, restaurant
& leisure, embassy, other related business.
• Firm strategy, structure and rivalry : improvement of
quality and medical standards , providing value added
services , opening overseas branches, contracting business
partnerships.
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Firm
Strategy,
Structure,
Rivalry
Factor
Conditions
Demand
Conditions
Related &
Supporting
Industries

8. III. HIERARCHY OF HEALTH CARE NEEDS
using the theory of Maslow's hierarchy of need as a main
theory
(1) Basic Healthcare
: Basic medical care such as health checkups, dental care,
immunization and preventive screening.
: Primarily focus on tourism and select standard health
services that located in tourism area with affordable price.
(2) Medically-Necessary Treatment
: required to obtain medical treatment, such surgery
: Mainly focus on medical treatment and take a short trip
nearby hospital or choose travel destinations that suitable
for their recuperation.
4
3
2
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Optimum
Health
Health
Enhancement
Medically-necessary
Treatment
1 Basic Healthcare

9. III. HIERARCHY OF HEALTH CARE NEEDS
(3) Health Enhancement
: Additional medical service to fill, to modify, or to
surgery some of the body including sex-reassignment
surgery.
: Mainly consider f medical services, while they will
arrange the tourism to be during or after receiving
medical treatment.
(4) Optimum Health
: A need to maintain in good health or to be in a better
health condition such spa, massage, acupuncture,
traditional medicine, detoxification, and holistic
healthcare treatment.
: Primarily focus tourism and often use health care
services that located in tourist areas.
4
3
2
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Optimum
Health
Health
Enhancement
Medically-necessary
Treatment
1 Basic Healthcare

10. Hierarchy of
Health Need
Factor
Condition
Demand
Condition
Related &
Support
Industry
•Independent Variables = Diamond model
(factor condition, demand condition, related & supporting industry ,firm strategy, structure and rivalry)
•Dependent Variable = Type of Medical Tourist
•Mediator Variable = Hierarchy of Health Care Needs
Firm Strategy,
Structure
&Rivalry
Medical
Focus
Tourism
Focus
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11. This study is a qualitative research using in-depth interviews as a tool to collect data.
Population : business owner, international marketing officers or other related position of healthcare providers and other related business
that mainly focus in international market which can divided into 3 groups
1) Private hospital which receive medical license from ministry of public health under the nursing act, 1998.
2) Clinic, cosmetic surgery, dental clinic, and specialized services such as, sex reassignment
3) Wellness institution such as spa house, holistic treatment providers, massage service providers.
Sample : Those located in Bangkok, and main tourist area such Chaingmai, Pattaya, Samui Island, and Hua Hin.
Data Collection : In-depth interview by using various tools such personal meeting, telephone interview, and emailing
Research limitation
Concept limitation > this research focus only on medical tourist who come to Thailand and have both healthcare service and take a tour in
our nation for a while and go back to their home country Therefore, it exclude those who are expatriate, retirement, and exchange
student or officers.
Scope limitation, this research only limit in the nation of Thailand.
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12. The result of this study shown that motivation and decision of medical tourist depends on the major purpose of
the journey, which can be divided into two groups
1) Medical focus tourist, who come for medical treatment as a main purpose. This group include those who are
in the level of medically-necessary treatment and health-enhancement in hierarchy of healthcare needs. This
medical tourist group will focus primarily on medical factors, including the speed of the service, reputation of
the hospital, expert of physician and therapist, medical standards at the international level, modern medical
technology, a wide range of medical services, available and legal medical treatment, the privacy of the
service, excellent of care, and affordable/valuable price. Other factors that affect to the motivation and
decision of this group are distance that not too far to be an obstacle, affordable travel price, climate that
suitability for rehabilitation, Furthermore, having additional services such as interpreters, visa extension,
money exchange will help facilitate and create quicker procedure for medical treatment. Coordination with
the insurance company, home country hospital, were also key factors affecting the consideration of medical
tourism services of this group.
2) Tourism focus tourist who come for tourism as a main purpose. This group include those who are in the level
of basic healthcare and optimum health in hierarchy of healthcare needs. This medical tourist group will
focus primarily on tourism factors, including good country image, famous and beautiful landscape, suitable
weather, the convenience of a hotel, the availability foodservice, a place of recreation, entertainment service,
affordable cost of travel and living, no political situation, The society and culture of service and hospitality.
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13. According to the literature review and the interview, there are issue to be concern. (1) Although
Thailand is the leader of medical tourism in the world but there are only a few medical tourism
agencies in the nation. (2) There are still gaps in medical tourism cluster that need to be fill-in
such as transportation, interpreter, and food service provider. (3) Connection between medical
providers and tourism providers not as good as it should. Thus the opportunity was lose in many
cases.
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