An efficient health system constitutes added value for the economic, social and sustainable growth of a given area, in fact the link between the attractiveness of the health system and the competitiveness of a given place is close. One of the most important challenges for our country is to give greater prestige to the entire health ecosystem, enhancing scientific research, innovation, encouraging conversion to new methodologies, in an attempt to stem the phenomenon of health tourism. The concept of health tourism refers to a phenomenon with ancient roots, namely the mobility of patients from their own place to health systems with higher specialization. Nowadays healthcare mobility has become a mindset, that is, when a citizen becomes aware of the pathology that afflicts him, it seems automatic to have to turn to an extra-regional or, in some cases, foreign structure. The patient's choice to go elsewhere to receive "better" care is attributable not only to the lack of trust in the healthcare system to which they belong, but also to the long waiting lists, the information provided by the family doctor, the knowledge of a given territory on the plan health care, and ultimately to social factors, as some health facilities are penalized by a consolidated negative reputation, letting “word of mouth” influence the judgment. The snapshot of an Italy divided in two in terms of the inadequacy of the health service emerges; on the one hand, "southern" Italy which sees its patients packing their bags, on the other a "northern" Italy capable of satisfying the needs of its patients and welcoming those from other sites. Calabria presents such a dramatic picture that it ranks as the region with the worst mobility balance, especially for problems related to oncology, orthopedics and pediatric surgery. On the contrary, Lombardy and Tuscany represent the main destinations. It would be advisable to identify solutions that make it possible to enhance the health systems making them efficient and innovative, but above all that make it possible to resolve the deep-rooted mistrust that patients have towards local healthcare.
Health tourism: an analysis
Iaquinta P
;Sposato A;
2022-01-01
Abstract
An efficient health system constitutes added value for the economic, social and sustainable growth of a given area, in fact the link between the attractiveness of the health system and the competitiveness of a given place is close. One of the most important challenges for our country is to give greater prestige to the entire health ecosystem, enhancing scientific research, innovation, encouraging conversion to new methodologies, in an attempt to stem the phenomenon of health tourism. The concept of health tourism refers to a phenomenon with ancient roots, namely the mobility of patients from their own place to health systems with higher specialization. Nowadays healthcare mobility has become a mindset, that is, when a citizen becomes aware of the pathology that afflicts him, it seems automatic to have to turn to an extra-regional or, in some cases, foreign structure. The patient's choice to go elsewhere to receive "better" care is attributable not only to the lack of trust in the healthcare system to which they belong, but also to the long waiting lists, the information provided by the family doctor, the knowledge of a given territory on the plan health care, and ultimately to social factors, as some health facilities are penalized by a consolidated negative reputation, letting “word of mouth” influence the judgment. The snapshot of an Italy divided in two in terms of the inadequacy of the health service emerges; on the one hand, "southern" Italy which sees its patients packing their bags, on the other a "northern" Italy capable of satisfying the needs of its patients and welcoming those from other sites. Calabria presents such a dramatic picture that it ranks as the region with the worst mobility balance, especially for problems related to oncology, orthopedics and pediatric surgery. On the contrary, Lombardy and Tuscany represent the main destinations. It would be advisable to identify solutions that make it possible to enhance the health systems making them efficient and innovative, but above all that make it possible to resolve the deep-rooted mistrust that patients have towards local healthcare.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
