Importance of Culture Safety in Medical Tourism

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this chance for thanking my research facilitator, friends & family for support they provided & their belief in me as well as guidance they provided without which I would have never been able to do this research.



DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this thesis/dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, & this thesis/dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level previously. It is also representing my very own views & not essentially which are associated with university.

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ABSTRACT

This research study is an attempt to study the concept of medical tourism and the way it affects the cultural safety of the medical tourists. Medical tourism is defined as moving to a country other than the residence's one to receive treatment there. The tourist whose trip is motivated by medical care is defined as a medical tourist or international patient. Medical tourism takes two forms, organized as a medical tourism agency organizes all services rendered to the patient who wishes to benefit from medical treatment combined with tourism services. Other is unorganized when the patient organizes his journey himself and speaks directly to local medical providers (doctors, clinics, etc). The aim of this research study is to explore the concept of cultural safety in medical tourism. In order to meet this aim, the research study has adopted a a qualitative research approach, interviews have been conducted with the healthcare workers in the international hospitals that are situated in various countries and have been providing medical help to the people belonging to other distinct countries. Medical tourism occurs across lines of economic and social class divisions, and in fact depends upon these divisions as well as entrenched inequalities within and between nations for its prosperity. Rationalizations of medical tourism often ignore the power relations that make this industry possible. The political economy perspective used in this study helps to highlight these global connections and inequities and to draw attention to the contradictions that the industry represents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTii

DECLARATIONiii

ABSTRACTiv

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION1

1.1. Background of the Study1

1.2. Rational of the Research2

1.3. Problem Statement3

1.4. Aims and Objectives of the Research3

1.5. Research Questions4

1.6. Significance of the Research4

1.7. Layout of the Dissertation5

CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW6

2.1. Introduction6

2.2. Medical Tourism6

2.3. History of Medical Tourism6

2.4. Medical Tourism and Academics7

2.5. Overview of the Global medical Tourism Industry8

2.6. Global Actors in the Medical Tourism Industry10

2.7. Medical Tourism and Hospitals10

2.8. Trends of Medical Tourism11

2.9. Benefits of Medical Tourism12

2.10. Potential in Medical Tourism13

2.11. What is Cultural Diversity?14

2.12. Why Patient and Healthcare Provider Need Cultural Understanding?14

2.12.1. Food Services16

2.12.2. Clinical or Nursing Care16

2.12.3. Alcohol17

2.12.4. Understanding Complex Cultural Needs17

2.13. Cultural Competence in Medical Tourism18

2.14. Changing Patterns of Medical Travel19

2.15. The Procedures Medical Tourists Travel For20

CHAPTER 03: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY26

3.1. Introduction26

3.2. Research Method26

3.3 Research Approach27

3.4. Research Philosophy27

3.5. Research Approach28

3.6. Data Collection Method (Interviews)28

3.7. Participants29

3.8. Informed Consent29

3.9. Confidentiality29

3.10. Validity30

3.11. Reliability30

3.12. Ethical Considerations31

3.13. Data Analysis31

3.14. Conclusion32

CHAPTER 04: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS33

4.1. Introduction33

4.2. Interview analysis33

CHAPTER 05: CONCLUSION46

REFERENCES49

APPENDIX53

Interview Questionnaire53

Interviews53

CHAPTER 01: ...