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Stakeholder perspectives on 'Swiss quality' healthcare in the context of inbound medical tourism to Switzerland: An exploratory qualitative study.
- Source :
-
Journal of Patient Safety & Risk Management . Jun2022, Vol. 27 Issue 3, p111-123. 13p. - Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- Background: Global literature on medical travel focuses on patients from high-income countries traveling to middle-income countries reputed for providing high quality care at significantly lower costs. However, little is known about the movement of wealthy foreign patients to high-income countries such as the USA, the UK or Switzerland. Objective: In this paper, we focus on Swiss medical tourism stakeholders and their strategies to attract a niche of self-paying foreign patients to undergo medical treatment in Switzerland. We describes how they harness the label of 'Swiss quality' healthcare to promote Switzerland in global medical travel industry. Methods: We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 30 medical tourism stakeholders including 15 healthcare professionals (HCPs) treating self-paying foreign patients in publicly funded and privately owned hospitals in French- and German-speaking regions of Switzerland. The data were inductively coded using thematic analysis. Results: We present their views on 'Swiss quality' healthcare under three themes: health-related human resources, Swiss medical infrastructure, and foreign patients' perceived trust in the 'Swiss quality' label. Participants equated Switzerland's global image and 'Swiss quality' as a 'brand' and believed that foreign patients' trust in 'Swiss quality' is a unique selling point of Swiss healthcare system. Conclusion: By problematizing the use of 'Swiss quality' label to attract wealthy patients to Switzerland, we highlight a few ethical questions that deserve further scrutiny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 25160435
- Volume :
- 27
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Patient Safety & Risk Management
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 157265636
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1177/25160435221102124