Current Issues and Emerging Trends in Medical Tourism

The era of globalization allows for more connectivity between nations and cultures. This increase in international association gives citizens more availability to take advantage of opportunities in other nations, such as medical assistance and accompanying services. Current Issues and Emerging Trends in Medical Tourism focuses on the emerging phenomena of international travel by patients in search of improved healthcare services and treatment, wellness programs, and complementary recreational activities. Including extensive coverage and case studies focusing on patient mobility and new opportunities for health services across borders, this authoritative reference source is essential to the needs of healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, students, and medical professionals seeking relevant research on the relationship between global travel and access to healthcare. This publication features innovative, research-based chapters spanning the spectrum of medical travel issues including, but not limited to, customer perceptions, ethical considerations, reproductive medicine, social media use, family caregivers, organ transplants, human trafficking, and surrogacy concerns.

Malcolm J. M. Cooper, PhD LLM is Emeritus Professor, Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Beppu, Japan. He teaches tourism management and environmental law. Formerly Vice President for Research and International Affairs, he is a specialist in tourism resource management (natural, cultural, social) and tourism development, environmental and water resource management and environmental law, and has worked and published widely in these fields. He has lectured at the Universities of New England (1974-1983), Southern Queensland (1996-2003), and Waiariki Institute of Technology (1994-1996), and has worked in the environmental planning (City Planner, 1985-1994) and tourism policy (1983-1985) areas for Federal, State and Local Governments in Australia. At other times he has been a private environmental planning consultant in Australia, and a tourism education consultant to the Governments of Sri Lanka, China and Vietnam. He is a recipient of the Australian Centennial medal and has published over 150 books and papers.

Kazem Vafadari, PhD is Associate Professor, College of Asia Pacific Studies, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Beppu, Japan. He teaches tourism policy and planning, tourism research, and cultural heritage management. He is an expert on tourism and developing countries in Asia, and on agricultural heritage landscapes and rural development, and works with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as an advisor and scientific committee member for the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) project. He has published several book chapters and papers on tourism management, on applications of globally important agricultural heritage systems, and on planning for sustainable tourism development.

Mayumi Hieda MA is Clinical Psychologist, St. Luke Clinic, Oita, Japan.