A critical examination of empowerment discourse in medical tourism: the case of the dental tourism industry in Los Algodones, Mexico

Abstract

BackgroundMedical tourism is a term used to describe the phenomenon of individuals intentionally traveling across national borders to privately purchase medical care. The medical tourism industry has been portrayed in the media as an “escape valve” providing alternative care options as a result of vast economic asymmetries between the global north and global south and the flexible regulatory environment in which care is provided to medical tourists. Discourse suggesting the medical tourism industry necessarily enhances access to medical care has been employed by industry stakeholders to promote continued expansion of the industry; however, it remains unknown how this discourse informs industry practices on the ground. Using case study methodology, this research examines the perspectives and experiences of industry stakeholders working and living in a dental tourism industry site in northern Mexico to develop a better understanding of the ways in which common discourses of the industry are taken up or resisted by various industry stakeholders and the possible implications of these practices on health equity.ResultsInterview discussions with a range of industry stakeholders suggest that care provision in this particular location enables international patients to access high quality dental care at more affordable prices than typically available in their home countries. However, interview participants also raised concerns about the quality of care provided to medical tourists and poor access to needed care amongst local populations. These concerns disrupt discourses about the positive health impacts of the industry commonly circulated by industry stakeholders positioned to profit from these unjust industry practices.ConclusionsWe argue in this paper that elite industry stakeholders in our case site took up discourses of medical tourism as enhancing access to care in ways that mask health equity concerns for the industry and justify particular industry activities despite health equity concerns for these practices. This research provides new insight into the ways in which the medical tourism industry raises ethical concern and the structures of power informing unethical practices.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12992-018-0392-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Service Providers’ Behaviour in Light of Developing the Medical Tourism Industry in Malaysia: At the Expense of Local Patients?

“…Moreover, the different situations of Malaysian doctors' interest to participate in medical tourism activities reflect the actual meanings of their behaviour in treating the two groups of patients. While Adams et al (2018) put forward that many doctors are interested in serving the medical tourists due to the opportunities of career, income and work condition growth, this article has proven the opposite. Several participants explained that the doctor charges are indifferent between the local and medical tourists, as this boils down the respective hospital's pricing structure instead of the doctors' will.…”

“…According to Adams, Snyder, Crooks, and Berry (2018), medical tourism is a term taken to describe health travellers who traverse beyond their national borders in search of private healthcare services and treatments. This activity can come through invasive medical procedures or healing environments such as spa and mineral bath.…”

“…These are the rights of all patients, regardless of their status. Specifically, in the dental tourism industry, Adams et al (2018) conducted a case study in Los Algodones, Mexico, in search of whether the locals have been at the expense of this activity. Specifically, they conducted interviews on differing professional roles, including dentists, dental assistant, patient facilitator, and marketing professionals.…”

“…Specifically, they conducted interviews on differing professional roles, including dentists, dental assistant, patient facilitator, and marketing professionals. Hence, Adams et al (2018) suggested that medical tourism possesses potential negative impingement to the locals in terms of accessibility to well-equipped dental clinics in rural areas. Similarly, in 2013, Labonté et al (2018) conducted 50 semi-structured interviews with the public, private and community representatives who have interest and concerns over the medical tourism industry in Guatemala.…”

Importancia Del Análisis Del Comportamiento Higrotérmico De Inmuebles Históricos Para La Rehabilitación Energética. Caso Del Archivo Histórico General Del Estado De Sinaloa

“…Al mismo tiempo, el municipio de Mexicali cuenta con una tercera garita, considerada como uno de los destinos más seguros de toda la frontera, por lo que cada invierno arriba un gran número de adultos mayores, con fines vacacionales, provenientes de Canadá y EUA, llamados coloquialmente como "pájaros de la nieve". Este puerto se ubica en la frontera con Arizona, en la delegación Vicente Guerrero, también conocida como Los Algodones o Molar City, esto último por su importante turismo médico con especialidad en la odontología, convirtiéndolo en un punto de alta concentración económica en la región (Adams, Snyder, Crooks y Berry, 2018).…”