Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, theres an increasing risk cost of healthcare services in the first world countries, this became the reason why several developing countries just like the Philippines has been provoked to promote and develop their own medical-tourism industries which can be offered to patients from all over the world. The medical tourism in the Philippines is on its rise because basically the national currency of this country is in Peso and it is undeniably weaker than U.S. Dollar which means medical healthcare services are much more expensive in United States. Unlike in the Philippines, you can obtain those expensive medical procedures for a fraction of cost you will spend to other first world countries. Medical Tourism, in the researchers perception, is the way clients refuse to seek medical and healthcare in their own country and prefer to go to other country for less expensive quality healthcare services. The clients are not only right after the cheaper medical healthcare services but for the purpose of relaxation also. Before and after getting their desired treatment, they want to be pampered with sort of relaxing and stressalleviating means such as going to beaches or wandering to different tourist spots. They also traveled for medical purposes due to long times of waiting period prior to procedures to be done.

Medical Tourism in the Philippines has been a growing industry at the present time. According to US Medical Tourism Association magazine, these services subsectors grew 8% in 2009. It is also expected that this will continue to grow as American healthcare costs rise or in times of anticipation of results in an increase waiting times for surgical procedures. Also, Philippines is one of the most popular medical tourist destinations together with Argentina, Brunei, Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and recently, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Korea, Tunisia, Ukraine, and New Zealand.

Most of the visited medical tourist destinations in the country, Philippines, are situated in Manila but nowadays many new modern medical institutions has been built outside the capital and this includes Luzon and Davao. They are positioned with proximity to tourist areas with stunning beaches.

Since the researcher resides in Tayabas City which is located in Quezon Province and has a city capital of Lucena. Since the researcher has experienced affiliating to some medical institutions in the Lucena City like Quezon Medical Center; Provincial Hospital of Quezon Province, MMG Lucena, Lucena United Doctors Hospital and Mt. Carmel Diocesan Hospital.

Background of the study

The researcher became engrossed to pursue this study for the reason that she has been always interested when it comes to tourism. At first, she thought that tourism was

only about tourist spots such as beaches, coves, luxury hotels and nature parks. It was only a month ago when she heard about medical tourism and this really caught her interest. Since then, she kept on thinking on how to study this kind of tourism. She had researches about medical tourism with a help of a friend, she came up with the idea of having an initial study about the potential of medical institutions in Lucena City for medical tourism. The researcher believes that this can contribute to increase the medical tourism not only in Quezon Province, particularly in Lucena but also with the country itself, Philippines.

Objectives of the study This study is conducted primarily to have an initial study regarding the potential of medical institutions in Lucena City for medical tourism in terms of high level quality healthcare and competitive cost of healthcare services. Specifically, it aimed to accomplish the following: 1. To assess the current status of medical institutions in Lucena City in terms of the quality and cost of healthcare services they offer. 2. To analyze the potential of medical institutions in Lucena City for medical tourism in terms of the quality healthcare and cost effective healthcare services. 3. To develop an initial study that could help to augment the potential of medical institutions in Lucena City for medical tourism 4. To help the medical institutions in Lucena City on their awareness about medical tourism.

Significance of the study The result of the study would be beneficial primarily to the medical institutions in Lucena city for the reason that their potential for medical tourism in terms of high quality healthcare and cost effective healthcare services. This initial study can also be forwarded