Determining the Factors Affecting Medical Tourism with Emphasis on Technological Entrepreneurship in Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Today, the provision of medical services to international patients around the world has received widespread attention. This opportunity is being applied to increase GDP and raise quality standards for health care services in centers. In Iran, one of the government programs is the expansion of medical tourism. The purpose of the present study is to Design a technological Entrepreneurship-Based medical Tourism Model in Iran. Methods: The present research is applied-developmental research in terms of its purpose. Due to implementation, it is a Quantitative covered in correlational type. Throughout the first step, to identify the indicators of technological entrepreneurship- based Medical tourism, fuzzy Delphi method was used and in second step, Quantitative -Descriptive-method was applied (Factor-analysis method to practice as well as hierarchical method for grading). Results: Indicators of Structural Factors with Score 0.382, professional factors with score 0.250, management factors with Score 0.160, Staff Support with Score 0.101, External Factors with Score 0.064, and Inter-Organizational Interaction with Score 0.043 are in the most Priority, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that six major indices and 26 sub-indices were introduced as the most significant indices of Entrepreneurship Based Medical Tourism. Applying the mentioned indices is effective in developing and expanding medical tourism industry and can provide supports to the managers and policy makers of the industry.