Özet:

Turkey has seen rapid growth in recent years with its variety of health and health tourism. Turkey is investing in tourism in order to increase its income from tourism and to attract more tourists while also implementing a diversification policy in tourism. In the diversification of tourism, one of the important types of tourism is medical tourism. Turkey has a great potential in medical tourism with specialized doctors, experienced health staff, medical technology, quality of service, hospitality, lower and upper building facilities. The aim of this study is to study the current situation of medical tourism in Turkey, which is a variety of health tourism, to determine whether there are problems in medical tourism and to develop recommendations. For this purpose, data were collected with 206 private hospital managers across Turkey using the survey method. The study has shown that many hospitals have a medical tourism understanding. The advertising problems, the negative image of the country, are defined as the elements that negatively affect the development of medical tourism in Turkey; health legislation problems, lack of financial support and lack of qualified staff are defined as a problem by managers. Following the content analysis, the recommendations made by the hospital managers for the development of medical tourism, the promotion, the creation of a joint wage rate and the accreditation of the topics have come to the forefront. In order to increase Turkey’s market share in medical tourism, it is necessary to promote abroad effectively and actively, to increase the number and quality of medical staff who know a foreign language, to develop the infrastructure facilities and to pay attention to accreditation.

Özet:

Turkey shows rapid growth with the kinds of health care and health tourism. While Turkey is making an investment in tourism so as to increase the level of income earned from tourism and attracts more tourists, it also implements diversification policy in tourism. One of the most important type of tourism in the diversification of the tourism constitutes medical tourism. With Turkey's specialist physicians experienced medical personnel, medical technology, quality of service, hospitality, infrastructure and superstructure facilities, there is a great potential in medical tourism. This study was conducted in order to examine the current situation of the medical tourism being a kind of health tourism in Turkey, determine whether there are problems in medical tourism and develop proposals. In the light of this purpose, data was collected from 206 private hospital managers across the Turkey by using questionnaire. Within the scope of the study, most of the hospitals have seen medical tourism concept. Advertisement problems, negative country image, determined as negative factors affecting the development of medical tourism in Turkey; health legislation problems, financial support inadequacy, and the problem of qualified staff were identified as problems by the managers. After the content analysis, the suggestions made by the hospital administrators for medical tourism development, the promotion, the establishment of the common tariff scheme and the importance of accreditation have been given priority. Turkey should give importance to making efficient and active promotion across abroad, increasing the number and the quality of staff who speak foreign languages, the development of infrastructure and accreditation so as to increase market share in the medical tourism.

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