The Moderating Effect of Medical Travel Facilitators in Medical Tourism

AbstractMedical tourism plays a significant role in shaping the future of medical care globally, due to the growth of technology, economy, and other global relations. There is increasing evidence that medical tourists seek help from medical travel facilitators to avoid critical preparations in finding reliable providers and ensuring trouble-free travel arrangements. In medical tourism, these facilitators play a significant role as moderator in engaging between the prospective patients in one country and medical facilities elsewhere around the world. To date, the literature in medical tourism has focused almost exclusively on patients and health care providers. However, little is known empirically with regard to the importance of medical travel facilitators and their contributions in the medical tourism industry. Hence, the moderating role of medical travel facilitators needs to be explored due to the rising number of medical tourist. This paper discusses how and to what extent medical travel facilitators benefit the global world of medical tourism. It is also useful to healthcare providers and businesses involved in this industry as well as future researchers