Where is the policy? A bibliometric analysis of the state of policy research on medical tourism

Altaf Virani,Michael Howlett,Adam M Wellstead

doi:10.1186/s41256-020-00147-2

Abstract

BackgroundIt is imperative that researchers studying medical tourism connect their work with policy, so that its real-world challenges can be better understood, and more effectively addressed. This article gauges the scope and evolution of policy thinking in medical tourism research through a bibliometric review of published academic literature, to establish the extent to which researchers apply public policy theories and frameworks in their investigation of medical tourism, or consider the policy imperatives of their work.MethodsA Boolean search of the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection was performed to identify policy-related publications on medical tourism. We analyzed the results using bibliometrics and a data visualization software called VOSviewer to identify patterns in knowledge production and underlying network linkages in policy research on the subject.ResultsOur findings suggest that only a small proportion of medical tourism research explicitly addresses policy issues or applies policy paradigms in their study approach. Field-specialized journals serving practitioners publish less research as compared to interdisciplinary social and health policy journals. Moreover, there are significant geographical and disciplinary disparities in the policy-orientation of research, and a predilection towards select policy areas such as reproductive and transplant tourism to the neglect of more holistic governance and health system considerations.ConclusionThis article is a call to action for greater engagement by policy scholars on medical tourism, and for health researchers to more explicitly consider how their research might contribute to the understanding and resolution of contemporary policy challenges of medical tourism. Failure to clearly and consistently make the policy connection is a lost opportunity for researchers to frame the public debate, and influence policy thinking on medical tourism.

Highlights

It is imperative that researchers studying medical tourism connect their work with policy, so that its real-world challenges can be better understood, and more effectively addressed
We describe the state of policy research on medical tourism and suggest how scholars can further contribute to the understanding and resolution of contemporary policy challenges of medical tourism
Production trends in policy-oriented medical tourism research Out of the 1841 records captured through the initial search, we identified 1224 publications (845 articles, 185 proceedings papers, 147 editorial materials, 67 reviews and 2 book chapters) focused on medical tourism

Summary

Introduction

It is imperative that researchers studying medical tourism connect their work with policy, so that its real-world challenges can be better understood, and more effectively addressed. Lack of adequate engagement with policy-oriented research is a major issue because it limits our understanding of the diverse challenges of medical tourism in different sectors and across various countries, and the ability of policymakers to devise effective contextual strategies to address them. In the UK, for example, the political narrative driving policy against inbound medical tourism and healthcare coverage for migrants is unsupported by empirical evidence on the lack of systematic abuse of the NHS [11]. This suggests a pressing need to strengthen research-policy linkages in the sector.

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion