ArticleBMJ open2013
Ethical and legal implications of the risks of medical tourism for patients: a qualitative study of Canadian health and safety representatives' perspectives.
Article in BMJ open, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed, 105 citations in OpenAlex.
- Digital trust in medical tourism portals: multiple pathways to consumer confidence.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Article
- Global therapeutic mobilities and cancer: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2025Article
- On Medical Tourism Overseas: Ethical Analysis of the Duties of NHS Doctors in Managing the Negative Health Consequences of Accessing Medical Treatments Abroad.Journal of evaluation in clinical practice · 2025Article
- Thrombotic complications following bariatric surgery: how medical tourism poses challenges to comprehensive care in obesity medicine.Clinical journal of gastroenterology · 2024Article
- The analysis of the medical tourism expansion policy in Taiwan: a policy analysis using Kingdon's multiple streams.Health research policy and systems · 2024Article
- Understanding the multidimensional role of medical travel facilitators: A study on competencies and a proposed model.Heliyon · 2024Article
- Why Do Canadians Travel Abroad for Cosmetic Surgery? A Qualitative Analysis on Motivations for Cosmetic Surgery Tourism.Plastic surgery (Oakville, Ont.) · 2022Article
- A case series of infectious complications in medical tourists requiring hospital admission or outpatient home parenteral therapy.Journal of the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada = Journal officiel de l'Association pour la microbiologie medicale et l'infectiologie Canada · 2022Article
- Abdominal Flap Necrosis and Wound Dehiscence following a Medical Tourist Tummy Tuck.Case reports in surgery · 2020Article
- Exploring isolation, self-directed care and extensive follow-up: factors heightening the health and safety risks of bariatric surgery abroad among Canadian medical tourists.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2019Article
- Complications of Cosmetic Surgery Abroad - Cost Analysis and Patient Perception.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2019Article
- Treatment destinations and visit frequencies for patients seeking medical treatment overseas from the United Arab Emirates: results from Dubai Health Authority reporting during 2009-2016.Tropical diseases, travel medicine and vaccines · 2019Article
- Health tourism and the need for occasional strong paternalism: complications and management of cosmetic anterior chamber iris implantation.Eye (London, England) · 2018Article
- Government roles in regulating medical tourism: evidence from Guatemala.International journal for equity in health · 2018Article
- Carriage of multi-drug resistant bacteria among foreigners seeking medical care.Scientific reports · 2018Article
- Developing an informational tool for ethical engagement in medical tourism.Philosophy, ethics, and humanities in medicine : PEHM · 2017Review
- "Ensure that you are well aware of the risks you are taking…": actions and activities medical tourists' informal caregivers can undertake to protect their health and safety.BMC public health · 2017Article
- Role of Travel Motivations, Perceived Risks and Travel Constraints on Destination Image and Visit Intention in Medical Tourism: Theoretical model.Sultan Qaboos University medical journal · 2017Review
- Do the Benefits of Transplant Tourism Amongst Nigerian Patients Outweigh the Risks? A Single-Center Experience.International journal of organ transplantation medicine · 2017Article
- Global Tourist Guide to Oral Care - A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR · 2016Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesMedical tourism involves patients' intentional travel to privately obtain medical care in another country. Empirical evidence regarding health and safety risks facing medical tourists is limited. Consideration of this issue is dominated by speculation and lacks meaningful input from people with specific expertise in patient health and safety. We consulted with patient health and safety experts in the Canadian province of British Columbia to explore their views concerning risks that medical tourists may be exposed to. Herein, we report on the findings, linking them to existing ethical and legal issues associated with medical tourism.
designWe held a focus group in September 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia with professionals representing different domains of patient health and safety expertise. The focus group was transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.
participantsSeven professionals representing the domains of tissue banking, blood safety, health records, organ transplantation, dental care, clinical ethics and infection control participated.
resultsFive dominant health and safety risks for outbound medical tourists were identified by participants: (1) complications; (2) specific concerns regarding organ transplantation; (3) transmission of antibiotic-resistant organisms; (4) (dis)continuity of medical documentation and (5) (un)informed decision-making.
conclusionsConcern was expressed that medical tourism might have unintended and undesired effects upon patients' home healthcare systems. The individual choices of medical tourists could have significant public consequences if healthcare facilities in their home countries must expend resources treating postoperative complications. Participants also expressed concern that medical tourists returning home with infections, particularly antibiotic-resistant infections, could place others at risk of exposure to infections that are refractory to standard treatment regimens and thereby pose significant public health risks.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.