The Role of Social Media in Promoting Medical Tourism
1. Introduction
Disease has a devastating impact on humanity. Given the history of medical achievements in developed countries, residents of third world countries are increasingly seeking help from medical systems in foreign aid. They are now crossing borders for medical treatment and are becoming medical tourists. So, defined broadly, medical tourism is the act of traveling to other countries to obtain medical, dental, and surgical care. Medical tourists travel abroad for the same reason patients in the US travel to other states: to seek care that is too expensive or unavailable at home. But an important part of their decision is that this treatment is combined with a vacation. There are other factors that propel migration of human resource such as globalization, it is easy to work in foreign countries and the pay can be much higher especially if the currency of a developing country is much devalued, wars and civil unrest in search of personal safety and the proliferation of media and information which show people the possibilities outside their homeland.
The concept of medical tourism is not a new one. The growth of medical tourism is facilitated by the increasing costs of healthcare and the length of time needed to access medical procedures in developed countries, as well as the ease and affordability of international travel. But it is an emerging, if not booming, industry. People are not only seeking treatment abroad, but are now looking to provide their services to a global market. This possible providers are ranging from individual practitioners to large multinational corporations.
The focus of this paper is to explore the role of social media in promoting medical tourism. This concept is yet to be researched. Given the traditional norms of healthcare and HIPAA restrictions, healthcare has been slow to enter the social media space. However, the globalization of healthcare is making social media an increasingly important tool. Understand that the purpose here is not to debate the pros and cons of medical tourism. That could be a topic for another paper. In this paper it is stated that the medical treatment sought after has already been decided on. The focus is the most effective and efficient way to inform and persuade potential medical tourists to choose their destination in an ever expanding global market. A market in which it is expected that the industry and provider of health services to take the initiative in advertising and an incredibly competitive market. (Hadian et al.2021)
1.1 Importance of Medical Tourism
Medical tourism is a developing concept, one which has seen expanded discernment and promotion as to being an industry that is often referred to by many in developed countries as a “sunrise industry”. This assertion is substantiated by the expanding accessibility and information of medical consideration available in different nations. The term “medical tourism” is characterized as the movement of patients from their country to another country for clinical treatment. The packages come all together to incorporate sightseeing and relaxation. It is a trend that is becoming more familiar to the public. Nations involved in the medical tourism industry have been promoting this to appeal to patients from developed nations as well as those from underdeveloped countries where the medical infrastructure might not be as dependable. This trend has significant importance and implications for global health. In fact, medical tourism in Southeast Asia is said to be a US$3.5 billion industry, and in 2010 Singapore is targeting to generate US$3 billion from treating 850,000 foreign patients. With the increased media attention on this industry, it is important to investigate the effects of medical tourism and its implications for global health.
1.2 Definition of Social Media
Social media is defined as “a group of internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of web 2.0, and that allow for the creation and exchange of user-generated content.” Social media allows people to exchange their opinions, experiences, insights, and perspectives in online communities and platforms. As consumers now often search for information regarding their health online, social media offers healthcare professionals and potential patients alike a new frontier to explore.
Other than the internet or web 2.0 technologies, social media encompasses a wide range of communication forms including public blogs, forums, websites, virtual social worlds, and wikis. These social media platforms present people-centered tools which often involve the availability and sharing of multimedia including pictures, videos, and audio clips. These characteristics of social media are now being incorporated into various aspects of the healthcare industry, transforming the information environment.
1.3 Significance of Social Media in Healthcare
Social media can facilitate word-of-mouth, whether it is someone asking about a dentist in Mexico or a forum on a patient’s cancer treatment in Germany. This is why doctors in foreign countries where medical tourism is most common often connect with doctors who exchanged a patient and stay in contact about the patient’s treatment. This is easily achievable through social media and is highly effective.
Hospital administrators often struggle with deciding whether the cost of sending for a social media team and resources is worth the estimated return on investment. According to a study by the global IT services company HCL Technologies, at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre and Harvard Medical School, it is worth it. They found that positive word-of-mouth in social media regarding a patient’s medical treatment improved the patient’s trust in their doctor and hospital, therefore making the treatment more effective.
It is important to recognize that the healthcare industry is relatively new in terms of practicing social media. Healthcare represents one of the largest and most vital private industries, and an increasingly large portion of it is practicing medical tourism, where patients travel to other countries to receive medical treatment. An estimated 8 million patients from all over the world seek treatment in countries other than their own, and this number is steadily increasing.
2. Benefits of Social Media in Promoting Medical Tourism
2.1 Increased Awareness and Reach
2.2 Enhanced Patient Engagement
2.3 Cost-Effective Marketing Strategy
2.4 Building Trust and Credibility
3. Strategies for Utilizing Social Media in Medical Tourism Promotion
3.1 Creating Engaging Content
3.2 Leveraging Influencers and Patient Testimonials
3.3 Utilizing Targeted Advertising
3.4 Engaging with Online Communities and Support Groups
3.5 Monitoring and Responding to Feedback
4. Challenges and Future Trends in Social Media Promotion of Medical Tourism
4.1 Privacy and Data Security Concerns
4.2 Managing Online Reputation
4.3 Incorporating Virtual Reality and Telemedicine
4.4 Embracing Artificial Intelligence for Personalized Marketing
References:
Hadian, Marziye, et al. “Medical tourism development: A systematic review of economic aspects.” International Journal of Healthcare Management 14.2 (2021): 576-582. researchgate.net