Medical Tourism in Portugal: Opportunity vs. challenge

Abstract

Due to changes in the contemporary world, we have been watching the promotion of globalization and hence the proliferation of health services. Medical Tourism has been presenting a significant growth in the past two decades due to a number of patients who are willing to travel to other countries to have more advantages in terms of medical care that the ones they have in their country, and also the contribution of the Internet in providing information to patients about treatments and destinations that are betting on a particular intervention. The MT has revealed itself as an innovative industry presenting the right conditions to become a profitable tourism niche and to attract more and more individuals. Due to the revenues that it can generate, many countries are trying to establish themselves as healthcare (providing) destinations presenting competitive advantages over others, such as treatment costs, quality, technology and no waiting lists.

The methodology was based on interviews to players related to Tourism and Health industry in Portugal in order to understand their contributions and forms of action. It was found that although most parts of these players consider the Medical Tourism in Portugal something that may prove to be profitable in the future, the truth is that it is still inexpressible for large parts of these actors and the reception of foreign patients is almost nonexistent. Still, have begun to emerge strategies by the Portuguese Government to channel foreign market as well as their own Private Hospitals and intermediaries (agents that provide patient services packages) are already acting to create conditions for the coming of foreign patients.