Medical Tourism: an analysis of luring medical
tourists
Above topic should be revised by structure and grammar
A case study of Hainan Province, China
Master degree-Human geography
Abstract (half a page)
With booming medical tourism in some Asian countries such as Thailand, South
Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and India, China today was trying to share this lucrative
market. Howbeit, comparing with those popular medical tourism destinations, China
is still in its infancy. In that way, China should consider both which core product and
Chinese characteristic products she has can provide what medical tourists need in
order to attract them. The thesis is designed to examine factors that influencing
decision of medical tourists to detect how China could develop an appealing medical
tourism destination. The case study will be explored based on content analysis, the
finding will be expected.
Above abstract should be revised by grammar and structure.
Following below guideline to write about medical tourism.
II. Purpose of the project (2 pages)
a. Problem statement (begin with Broad issue focus down to Specific problem)
-use literature to support statements. (using good literature to support)
-define the boundaries of your field of inquiry. (medical tourism)
-list some research questions with some brief rationale or support
Below is latest information about medical tourism in China. (some quotes and
websites)
Medical tourism is an increasing popular worldwide phenomenon that is becoming a
formalized industry in many counties (Chinadaily, 2012). A estimated 6 million
people travel internationally per year to seek medical treatment, with the sector
estimated to be worth about $100 billion in 2012, growing at an annual rate of 20-30
per cent (Chinadaily, 2013) .
Medical tourism has become a boom industry in the past decade, not only in China,
but the entire Asia, mainly thanks to the emergence of new wealth in the region
(Chinadaily, 2012). A report released said that Asia is the medical tourism market with
the highest potential in the world (Chinadaily, 2012).
Shanghai Medical Tourism Products and Promotion Platform (SHMTPPP) was
established in June, 2010 and was among the first places in China to begin to observe
about medical tourism (Chinadaily, 2013). The platform was soon able to bring
together over 20 participating hospitals in the metropolis, handling patient inquiries
online, helping contact hospitals that can offer the right treatment, and even arranging
the entire trip. The platform's website list a dozen of wide-ranging treatments on offer,
from cancer treatment to cosmetic surgery to fertility treatment (Chinadaily, 2013).
Following Shanghai, Hainan Province in April, 2013 announced a plan to build a
special zone of medical tourism, the first in the country (Chinadaily, 2013). Some
have suggested that China promote its traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to draw in
medical tourists (Chinadaily, 2013). But the country still has a long way to go before
it can challenge the industry's established leaders such as Thailand, South Korea,
Singapore and India (Chinadaily, 2013).
"Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) has great influence on patients overseas and
we should better promote these services to attract them" (Chinadaily, 2012)".
"International Medical Travel Association President Ruben Toralas said that China ma
y use itsadvantage in TCM to diversify its medical tourism services to attract various
kinds of visitors.The nation's price-competitiveness might help it take a greater share i
n the industry " (Chinadaily, 2012).
"Although growing fast, TCM tourism is still in its infancy in China, which needs mor
egovernment support, systematic market administration and supervision and good coo
rdinationbetween the medical care and tourism sectors, experts said.
"China issued support policies for the TCM service trade, which designated TCM trav
el as oneof the top four sectors that should be boosted in the coming years".
"The other three are TCM doctors providing remote services via the Internet for foreig
ners,going abroad to practice treatments and opening clinics. TCM tourism is expecte
d to grow the fastest among the four" (Chinadaily, 2012) .
" Hainan is China's largest special economic zone and is making all efforts to build
the island into an international tourist and shopping destination" (Chinadaily, 2012) .
"The island province of Hainan has published a plan to build China's firstspecial zone
for medical tourism, an official said on Saturday at the Boao Forum for Asia
(Chinadaily, 2013) ".
"Under the plan, the Boao Lecheng International Medical Travel Zone will be located
nearQionghai city and Boao town, covering an area of about 20 square km, said Zhu
Huayou, vice-head of Hainan's development and reform commission.
The southern part of the zone will feature health care centers for the elderly, patients
withchronic disease and those in poor health, while the northern part will focus on me
dicaltreatment and research, Zhu said.
Medical tourism, which combines travel with leisure and healthcare, is already popula
r in someAsian countries like Singapore and India, and it is likely to boom in China th
anks to rising livingstandards.
The zone in Hainan will make use of traditional Chinese medicine, the local tropical c
limate andworld-class medical institutions the island aims to introduce, according to Z
hu.
The official said that overseas medical institutions will be allowed to set up business
within thezone. Other preferential policies will include lower taxes for imported medi
cal instruments andmedicines, and frontier medical programs like stem cell research w
ill be allowed.
Construction of the zone is likely to cost up to 100 billion yuan ($16 billion).
"It is the only travel zone of its kind in the country and I am confident that it will be a
success," Jiang, a deputy to the National People's Congress, the top legislature, told
reporters on the sidelines of the parliamentary session (Chinadaily, 2013).
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/The-emergence-of-Chinese-medical-touris
m-30213940.html
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2012-09/24/content_15778038.htm
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-03/07/content_16287995.htm
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2012TCM/2012-05/11/content_15387637.ht
m
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-04/06/content_16378837.htm
http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-11/22/content_17123595.htm
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/2013-10/02/content_17007308.htm
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-04/07/content_16379557.htm
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/The-emergence-of-Chinese-medical-touris
m-30213940.html
http://english.people.com.cn/205040/8213799.html
b. Importance of the research (Why does this research need to be completed)
-Identify the gap in knowledge.
-Who/what will benefit from this study?
Many studies about medical tourism in USA and European countries, but few studies
in Asia, especially in China. There is no medical tourism study (at least at author's
knowledge) about Hainan. Author thus will fill the gap.
Above content should be revised by grammar and structure.
c. Purpose and Objectives—(what do you want to accomplish?)
-Purpose is a general statement that describes the broad goal of the project
The purpose of the thesis is to understand medical tourism products in China and its
significant attributes; as well as investigate the factors that influencing tourists'
decision go to a medical tourism destination.
Above content just author's idea and proposal, can you please give some suggestions
and advices? Above content should also be revised by grammar and structure.
-Objectives can be listed in numbered order or bullets; no more than three
The thesis aims to examine factors that influencing decision of medical tourists to
perceive how China could develop an appealing medical tourism destination.
● To examine the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats of medical tourism
in China by carrying out SWOT analysis.
● To investigate people who interested in medical tourism as posted on blogs from
perspective of tourists.
Above content just author's idea and proposal, can you please give some suggestions
and advices? Above content should also be revised by grammar and structure.
Three research questions can be framed as:
● Which medical tourism products China have to found an appealing medical tourism
destination?
● What are the factors that influencing tourists' decision go to a medical tourism
destination?
● How can China target international medical tourist?
Above content just author's idea and proposal, can you please give some suggestions
and advices? Above content should also be revised by grammar and structure.
-Objectives describe the specific aims to be covered by the project
-You are making a contract with the reader here: “this is what I will cover and I will
not venture outside of these objectives.”
Following below guideline to write about medical tourism.
III. Literature Review (4 pages) (using good references)
What is known and not known about your project).
a. Cover the major areas of inquiry involved with your subject
b. Define terms, components, and connections of your “system”
c. Describe the history of inquiry of your field and developments in the field
d. Discuss current status of knowledge in your field or subject
e. Develop foundation for what is not known that needs to be known what is
the gap in knowledge that needs to be filled or what brick will you put in the wall?
IV. Study Area (1 page) The thesis will more related to human geography than
tourism
Where will the study be done and what attributes of the area are most suitable for your
research. If the study involves geography you must identify the regional
location/physiography, geology/soils, climate/hydrology, land use, special points
related to study. If you are doing more of a business-oriented study you must describe
the characteristics of the unit(s) you are investigating.
V. Methods (1 page)
a. Rationale for sampling or experimental design
b. Procedures used (Field, lab, computer/GIS/Stats, data bases, key equations)
-use references to support your methods
In many ways, therefore, the tools and methods of human geographers are parallel to
those used in other sciences, especially the social sciences. In addition, geographers
increasingly use some of the tools and methods of the humanities- interpretive
analysis and inductive reasoning, for example-together with ethnographic research
(the systematic recording of human cultures) and textual analysis.
N.B. Author will use content analysis/textual analysis methods.
VI. Conclusions (half a page)
a. Key products/benefits of the research
b. Future work--Links of proposed project to future studies of your topic
VIII. Literature Cited (at least 20 good references)
Hopefully, it is worth spending the money for yours and thank you every
much!