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Connecting with prospective medical tourists online: A cross-sectional analysis of private hospital websites promoting medical tourism in India, Malaysia and Thailand

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  • Moghavvemi, Sedigheh
  • Ormond, Meghann
  • Musa, Ghazali
  • Mohamed Isa, Che Ruhana
  • Thirumoorthi, Thinaranjeney
  • Bin Mustapha, Mohd Zulkhairi
  • Kanapathy, Kanagi A./P.
  • Chiremel Chandy, Jacob John

Abstract

Websites of private hospitals promoting medical tourism are important marketing channels for showcasing and promoting destinations' medical facilities and their array of staff expertise, services, treatments and equipment to domestic and foreign patient-consumers alike. This study examines the websites of private hospitals promoting medical tourism in three competing Asian countries (India, Malaysia and Thailand) in order to look at how these hospitals present themselves online and seek to appeal to the perceived needs of (prospective) medical tourists. The content and format of 51 hospitals are analyzed across five dimensions: hospital information and facilities, admission and medical services, interactive online services, external activities, and technical items. Results show differences between Indian, Malaysian and Thai hospital websites, pointing to the need for hospital managers to improve their hospitals’ online presence and interactivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Moghavvemi, Sedigheh & Ormond, Meghann & Musa, Ghazali & Mohamed Isa, Che Ruhana & Thirumoorthi, Thinaranjeney & Bin Mustapha, Mohd Zulkhairi & Kanapathy, Kanagi A./P. & Chiremel Chandy, Jacob John, 2017. "Connecting with prospective medical tourists online: A cross-sectional analysis of private hospital websites promoting medical tourism in India, Malaysia and Thailand," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 154-163.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:touman:v:58:y:2017:i:c:p:154-163
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2016.10.010
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    2. Moghavvemi, Sedigheh & Woosnam, Kyle M. & Paramanathan, Tanuosha & Musa, Ghazali & Hamzah, Amran, 2017. "The effect of residents’ personality, emotional solidarity, and community commitment on support for tourism development," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 242-254.
    3. Hallow Al-Talabani & Hasan Kilic & Ali Ozturen & Suhad Othman Qasim, 2019. "Advancing Medical Tourism in the United Arab Emirates: Toward a Sustainable Health Care System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, January.
    4. Georgia Giannake & Athina Economou & Theodore Metaxas & Mary Geitona, 2023. "Medical Tourism in the Region of Thessaly, Greece: Opinions and Perspectives from Healthcare Providers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-16, May.
    5. Vinaytosh Mishra & Mohita G. Sharma, 2021. "Framework for Promotion of Medical Tourism: A Case of India," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 103-111, December.
    6. Muhammad N. Abdul-Rahman & Thowayeb H. Hassan & Ahmed H. Abdou & Mostafa A. Abdelmoaty & Mahmoud I. Saleh & Amany E. Salem, 2023. "Responding to Tourists’ Intentions to Revisit Medical Destinations in the Post-COVID-19 Era through the Promotion of Their Clinical Trust and Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-19, January.
    7. Mohammad Jamal Khan & Firoz Khan & Saba Amin & Shankar Chelliah, 2020. "Perceived Risks, Travel Constraints, and Destination Perception: A Study on Sub-Saharan African Medical Travellers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, April.
    8. Supawat Meeprom & Surachai Chancharat, 2022. "Building Health and Wellness Service Experience Extension: A Case Study of Bangkok, Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-18, September.
    9. Muhammad Ali & Anita Medhekar, 2018. "Healthcare Quality of Bangladesh and Outbound Medical Travel to Thailand," Economy of region, Centre for Economic Security, Institute of Economics of Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, vol. 1(2), pages 575-588.
    10. Amaresh Panda & Sanjay Mohapatra, 2021. "Online Healthcare Practices and Associated Stakeholders: Review of Literature for Future Research Agenda," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 46(2), pages 71-85, June.
    11. Jay Parekh & Azain Jaffer & Urvi Bhanushali & Shekhar Shukla, 2021. "Disintermediation in medical tourism through blockchain technology: an analysis using value-focused thinking approach," Information Technology & Tourism, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 69-96, March.
    12. Inessa Tyan & Antonio Guevara-Plaza & Mariemma I. Yagüe, 2021. "The Benefits of Blockchain Technology for Medical Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-12, November.
    13. Jaapar, Mustaffa & Musa, Ghazali & Moghavvemi, Sedigheh & Saub, Roslan, 2017. "Dental tourism: Examining tourist profiles, motivation and satisfaction," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 538-552.
    14. Hartmann, Sarah, 2024. "Smoothness as a quality of care: An STS approach to transnational healthcare mediation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 347(C).
    15. Jay Parekh & Azain Jaffer & Urvi Bhanushali & Shekhar Shukla, 0. "Disintermediation in medical tourism through blockchain technology: an analysis using value-focused thinking approach," Information Technology & Tourism, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-28.

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