Table 3 Additional policy implications from medical tourism development
| Â | Original Policy Implications | Additional Implications Identified from Jamaican Case |
|---|---|---|
Governance | • number and content of health sector commitments in multi- and bilateral trade agreements | • expanding/conflicting ministerial responsibilities and novel inter-ministerial relationships |
(Legislation and Planning) | • regional trade blocs promoting | • involvement of international |
• trade in health services | • development organizations and foreign for-profit industry organizations in developing medical tourism sectors | |
• national medical tourism committees or agencies | ||
• creation of medical tourism travel visas | ||
Financing | • increase in out of pocket payments | • intersections between international hospital accreditation and international health insurance portability |
(Fundraising and Payment) | • increasing interest in internationally portable health insurance | |
Delivery | • growth of private health sector | • utilization of existing private sector oversupply |
(Service Provision and Infrastructure) | • foreign direct investment in health infrastructure | • increased for-profit healthcare delivery |
• cross-subsidization schemes to explicitly benefit locals | ||
|  |  | • development of enclavic medical tourism facilities |
Regulation | • public and private sector quality control | • regional development and coordination of healthcare standards |
(Protocol Creation and Enforcement) | • international accreditation of health facilities (e.g. Joint Commission International) | |
• number of medical tourist visits facilitated by brokers | ||
Human Health Resources | • distribution of specialists between public and private health sector | • health worker training as marketing tool |
(Training and Supply of Care Personnel) | • future human resource capacity (re: training, availability, professional to population ratios) | • increasing international mobility and circulation of healthcare labour (including importation) |
• increased demand for different types of health human resources with varying supply | ||
Consumers |  | • narrow conceptions of international patient market and inflated projections informing sector development |
(Composition and Number of Patients) | ||
• increased utilization of health services by emigrant diaspora |