Medical Tourism: Ethics, Risks and Benefits

Background: Despite of the global increase of medical tourism, there is no review done to examine the motivation leads to the practice of medical tourism, opportunities and risks with the practice of medical tourism and the ethical issue of medical tourism. Objectives: This review aims to highlight the issues associated with medical tourism and its facilitators and barriers by evaluating literature of the development and types of medical tourism in these countries. Methodology: We reviewed the relevant articles that were searched using Embase, Medline, Pub Med and CINAHL databases. Risks and benefits as well as ethical issues emerged from the practice of medical tourism were identified. Results: Pull factors that make patients having medical treatment, therapy and services abroad are language familiarity, the need for privacy, quality, bioethical legislation, food, cultural and tourist attractions at their destination. Affluent medical tourists from countries such as Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and Bangladesh also are likely to practise medical tourism for both purpose of cheaper and reliable medical therapy and tourist vacation. Thus, the countries that have certain attractions associated with cheaper healthcare cost will be the most preferred place for them to practise medical tourism. Conclusion: This review can be useful for the patients who want to practise medical tourism, for nations which has already practised medical tourism to improve their quality in medical tourism and aware of ethical concerns that arise from this practice, as well as for the references of the countries which want to practice medical tourism in the future.