Turner Leigh
Associate Professor, Center for Bioethics, School of Public Health & College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Healthc Policy. 2012 May;7(4):18-25.
When Canadian researchers examine the subject of medical tourism, they typically focus on ethical, social, public health and health policy issues related to Canadians seeking health services in other countries. They emphasize study of Canada as a departure point for medical tourists rather than as a potential destination for international patients. Several influential voices have recently argued that provincial healthcare systems in Canada should market health services to international patients. Proponents of marketing Canada as a destination for medical tourists argue that attracting international patients will generate revenue for provincial healthcare systems. Responding to such proposals, I argue that there are at least seven reasons why provincial health systems in Canada should not dedicate institutional, financial and health human resources to promoting themselves as destinations for medical tourists.
当加拿大研究人员审视医疗旅游这一主题时，他们通常关注与在其他国家寻求医疗服务的加拿大人相关的伦理、社会、公共卫生和健康政策问题。他们强调将加拿大作为医疗游客出发地进行研究，而非作为国际患者的潜在目的地。最近，一些有影响力的人士主张，加拿大的省级医疗保健系统应向国际患者推销医疗服务。将加拿大作为医疗旅游目的地进行推销的支持者认为，吸引国际患者将为省级医疗保健系统带来收入。针对此类提议，我认为，加拿大省级医疗系统至少有七个理由不应投入机构、资金和医疗卫生人力资源来将自身宣传为医疗旅游目的地。
