Medical Tourism Association Releases First Patient Surveys on Medical Tourism

West Palm Beach, FL, April 16, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The Medical Tourism Association has released preliminary results from its first patient surveys in the Medical Tourism Industry. The Medical Tourism Association has created this medical tourism patient survey as part of a larger research project to study the medical tourism industry. The continuing results of these surveys will be published in the medical tourism magazine. This survey is extremely important to the solid growth of the medical tourism industry by providing a better understanding why patients are traveling and where they are traveling to as well as insight to increase international patient flow.

“These first patient surveys are going to provide insight into the patient experience and to give a greater understanding as to why patients make their overseas healthcare decisions. The MTA is making these studies and surveys available to the medical tourism industry at no cost to assist our members in growing the industry. I think many people in the industry will be very surprised by the results,” said Renee-Marie Stephano, COO of the Medical tourism association and Editor of the Medical Tourism Magazine.

The Medical Tourism Association is the first international non-profit association made up of the top international hospitals, healthcare providers, medical tourism facilitators, insurance companies, and other affiliated companies and members with the common goal of promoting the highest level of quality of healthcare to patients in a global environment. Our Association promotes the interests of its healthcare provider and medical tourism facilitators members. The Medical Tourism Association has three tenets: Transparency, Communication and Education.

Medical Tourism Association Official Patient Survey Results

Q1. How did you find out about medical tourism (traveling internationally for medical care)?

Internet,"48.8%"

Friend,"17.1%"

Newspaper, TV,"14.6%"

My doctor,"2.4%"

Other (please specify),"17.1%"

Q2. How did you research your information for medical tourism on country destinations and hospitals?

Internet,"73.2%"

Books, 0.0%"

Asked a friend,"4.9%"

Medical Tourism Facilitator,"4.9%"

Other (please specify),"17.1%"

Q3. What type of procedure did you travel for?

Cosmetic,"12.2%"

Orthopedic,"22.0%"

Spine,"2.4%"

Weight Loss/Bariatric,"31.7%"

Lasik,"0.0%"

Other (please specify),"31.7%"

Q4. Did you travel alone or with a companion?

Alone,"17.5%"

Companion,"82.5%"

Q5. Did you or your companion do any tourism such as site seeing, shopping, eating dinner or a lunch out of the hospital or hotel or enjoying the local culture?

Yes,"95.0%"

No,"5.0%"

Q6. How would you rate the hospital you received medical care at?

Excellent,"70.7%"

Very Good,"26.8%"

Average,"2.4%"

Below Average,"0.0%"

Poor,"0.0%"

Q7. Did you use a medical tourism facilitator (a company that was an intermediary and helped coordinate your care)?

Yes,"51.2%"

No,"48.8%"

Q8. How helpful did you find the medical tourism facilitator?

Extremely helpful,"36.6%"

Helpful,"12.2%"

Somewhat helpful,"7.3%"

Not helpful,"0.0%"

Not applicable,"43.9%"

Q9. Would you recommend a future patient to use a medical tourism facilitator?

Yes,"58.5%"

Maybe,"17.1%"

No,"2.4%"

Not Applicable,"22.0%"

Q10. Was their a language barrier or communication problem at the hospital?

Not at all,"70.7%"

Occasional problems, but did not significantly affect my experience,"29.3%"

Yes, significantly affected my experience,"0.0%"

Q11. Did you feel safe overseas?

Very safe,"56.1%"

Safe,"36.6%"

Somewhat safe,"7.3%"

Not safe,"0.0%"

Q12. Do you feel the service you received was more personalized that in the US?

Yes,"85.4%

No,"14.6%"

Q13. Would you recommend a friend, relative or acquaintance to travel internationally for medical care?

Yes,"92.7%"

Maybe,"7.3%"

No,"0.0%"

Q14. Would you travel internationally again for medical care?

Yes,"87.8%"

Maybe,"9.8%"

No,"2.4%"

Q15. Did you have health insurance when you traveled internationally for medical care?

Yes,"41.5%"

No,"58.5%"

Q16. Did hospital accreditation play a role in your choice to travel internationally?

Yes,"80.5%"

No,"17.1%"

I do not know what accreditation means.,"2.4%"

Q17. How important was the hospitals accreditation in your decision to go overseas?

Very important,"58.5%"

Important,"22.0%"

Somewhat important,"7.3%"

Not important,"7.3%"

Not Applicable,"4.9%"

Q18. Do you feel your overall medical experience was:

Better than it would have been in the USA,"63.4%"

Equal to it would have been in the USA,"36.6%"

Worse than it would have been in the USA,"0.0%"

Q19. Were you concerned about having to sue in a foreign country in the event of medical malpractice?

Concerned,"4.9%"

Somewhat concerned,"19.5%"

Not concerned,"75.6%"

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