Center for Bioethics, School of Public Health, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Global Health. 2012 Jun 15;8:16. doi: 10.1186/1744-8603-8-16.
Despite having access to medically necessary care available through publicly funded provincial health care systems, some Canadians travel for treatment provided at international medical facilities as well as for-profit clinics found in several Canadian provinces. Canadians travel abroad for orthopaedic surgery, bariatric surgery, ophthalmologic surgery, stem cell injections, "Liberation therapy" for multiple sclerosis, and additional interventions. Both responding to public interest in medical travel and playing an important part in promoting the notion of a global marketplace for health services, many Canadian companies market medical travel.
Research began with the goal of locating all medical tourism companies based in Canada. Various strategies were used to find such businesses. During the search process it became apparent that many Canadian business promoting medical travel are not medical tourism companies. To the contrary, numerous types of businesses promote medical travel. Once businesses promoting medical travel were identified, content analysis was used to extract information from company websites. Company websites were analyzed to establish: 1) where in Canada these businesses are located; 2) the destination countries and health care facilities that they market; 3) the medical procedures they promote; 4) core marketing messages; and 5) whether businesses market air travel, hotel accommodations, and holiday tours in addition to medical procedures.
Searches conducted from 2006 to 2011 resulted in identification of thirty-five Canadian businesses currently marketing various kinds of medical travel. The research project began with what seemed to be the straightforward goal of establishing how many medical tourism companies are based in Canada. Refinement of categories resulted in the identification of eighteen businesses fitting the category of what most researchers would identify as medical tourism companies. Seven other businesses market regional, cross-border health services available in the United States and intranational travel to clinics in Canada. In contrast to medical tourism companies, they do not market holiday tours in addition to medical care. Two companies occupy a narrow market niche and promote testing for CCSVI and "Liberation therapy" for multiple sclerosis. Three additional companies offer bariatric surgery and cosmetic surgery at facilities in Mexico. Four businesses offer health insurance products intended to cover the cost of obtaining privately financed health care in the U.S. These businesses also help their clients arrange treatment beyond Canada's borders. Finally, one medical travel company based in Canada markets health services primarily to U.S. citizens.
This article uses content analysis of websites of Canadian companies marketing medical travel to provide insight into Canada's medical travel industry. The article reveals a complex marketplace with different types of companies taking distinct approaches to marketing medical travel.
尽管加拿大有通过公共资助的省级医疗保健系统获得医疗所需护理的途径，但一些加拿大人还是出国到国际医疗设施和在加拿大几个省份的营利性诊所接受治疗。加拿大人为整形手术、减肥手术、眼科手术、干细胞注射、多发性硬化症的“解放疗法”以及其他干预措施出国接受治疗。许多加拿大公司宣传医疗旅游，既回应了公众对医疗旅游的兴趣，又在推广全球医疗服务市场理念方面发挥了重要作用。
研究始于寻找总部设在加拿大的所有医疗旅游公司的目标。使用了各种策略来找到这些企业。在搜索过程中，很明显，许多宣传医疗旅游的加拿大企业并非医疗旅游公司。相反，许多类型的企业都在宣传医疗旅游。一旦确定了宣传医疗旅游的企业，就会使用内容分析从公司网站中提取信息。对公司网站进行了分析，以确定：1）这些企业在加拿大的哪些地方；2）他们营销的目的地国家和医疗保健设施；3）他们推广的医疗程序；4）核心营销信息；以及 5）企业是否营销机票、酒店住宿和度假旅游以及医疗程序。
2006 年至 2011 年进行的搜索导致确定了 35 家目前正在营销各种医疗旅游的加拿大企业。研究项目始于看似简单的目标，即确定有多少医疗旅游公司总部设在加拿大。对类别进行细化导致确定了 18 家符合大多数研究人员将确定为医疗旅游公司的类别。另外 7 家企业营销美国的区域性、跨境卫生服务和前往加拿大诊所的国内旅行。与医疗旅游公司不同，它们不提供度假旅游服务。另外两家公司的市场定位狭窄，推广 CCSVI 检测和多发性硬化症的“解放疗法”。另外三家公司在墨西哥的设施提供减肥手术和整容手术。四家企业提供旨在支付在美国私人融资医疗费用的健康保险产品。这些企业还帮助客户在加拿大境外安排治疗。最后，一家总部设在加拿大的医疗旅游公司主要向美国公民推销医疗服务。
本文使用对营销医疗旅游的加拿大公司网站的内容分析，深入了解了加拿大的医疗旅游行业。该文章揭示了一个复杂的市场，其中不同类型的公司采用不同的方法来营销医疗旅游。
