THE ROLE OF DIGITAL MARKETING IN MEDICAL TOURISM INDUSTRY IN POINT OF VIEW OF MEDICAL TOURISM POLICY MAKERS OF SHIRAZ IN 2017

Abstract

Objectives: Medical tourism refers to traveling to places where the individual could use medical services. Therefore, such a travel requires various activities in any of which the individual health is considered. Main samples of these types of travels include healthcare, beauty of organs, passing convalescence and rehabilitation, using hydrotherapy springs and good climate regions. The general objective of this study is to analyze the relation between digital marketing and medical tourism in point of view of Shiraz medical tourism policy makers.

Methods: This study is applied in respect of objective and in respect of collecting descriptive information it is of correlation studies type in which data collection was performed through library and field method. The statistical population of this study includes all strategic personnel and managers of Shiraz Medical Sciences University which is equal to 97. Regarding Cochran table for low number societies, the sample number was considered equal to the population. For collecting data, for the role of digital marketing in medical tourism industry from view of Shiraz medical tourism policy makers, scholar made questionnaire was used. This questionnaire includes 40 questions. The questionnaires were regulated based on 5-value Likert scale. Reliability and validity of this questionnaire was confirmed. For statistical techniques used for analysis of data obtained from the questionnaire, various statistical methods have been used. In the research descriptive section, descriptive statistical methods, relative frequency distribution and its percent diagrams have been used. And in the inferential statistics analysis, Kolmogorov- Smirnov test has been used for investigating data normality and then Pearson correlation factor and route analysis have been used

Results: The study results showed that there is a relation between digital marketing and medical tourism from viewpoint of Shiraz medical tourism policy makers. Also, there is a relation between factors relating to product or service, advertising, place, individuals, evidences and physical facilities and price and medical tourism from viewpoint of Shiraz medical tourism policy makers.

Conclusion: Study concludes that, educating usage of modern marketing methods and mixing them should be one of operational objectives of healthcare organization and this should be considered in educational planning.

Peer Review History:

Received 9 December 2017;   Revised 11 January 2018; Accepted 13 February; Available online 15 March 2018

Received file:        Reviewer's Comments:

Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 4.5/10

Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.5/10

Reviewer(s) detail:

Dr. Sabah Hussien El-Ghaiesh, Tanta University, Egypt, s.ghaiesh@gmail.com

Dr. Taiwo O Elufioye, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, toonitaiwo@yahoo.com