Abstract
Alignment of travel for medical care and services to contemporary tourism sets up a conflict with the nature of the principles of quality health service delivery across a continuum of care with an inappropriate association with practice and commercialisation of leisure and recreation. This paper looks at the need to reframe the access for treatment and care to a more purposeful association of medical travel. Effective and quality health care is delivered across a continuum of care and the understanding and management of critical interface issues of credentials and expertise of treatment and service providers vary from management of quality, risk, and safety, clinician and patient communications, and aftercare of patients and clients locally and on their return to home. The travel sector has significant resources and experience that can support medical travel including facilities, transportation, logistics, holistic and wellness lifestyle approaches in the context of strong travel integration and connectivity delivery. Framing regional and international travel alignment to the delivery of medical services is an essential, long-term sustainability strategy. This paper examines the key medical service integration requirements to medical travel and looks at the potential for stronger engagement of the travel sector in treatment, care, and medical research delivery.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Critical Issues in Tourism and Leisure Studies
KEYWORDS
Medical Travel Quality
